“I used to stand on the sidelines of my kids’ games and listen closely to the rich moms. My stomach dropped, my defenses rose every time: Must be nice to live that way. Do they have any idea what it’s like to have $40 left 10 days before payday? I was righteous. It made me feel better to put them down. A simple request from my teen daughter one morning put me on a journey of changing my reverse-pride.”
‘I LOVE those, are they Lulu? I got 3 new pairs! Aren’t they great?!’ I’m a poor mom living in a rich-mom world.’: Mom learns to stop judging the rich after holiday act of kindness, ‘Our bank account doesn’t define us’
‘You look like you’ve been mauled by a gorilla. What happened to you?’ I lied. She didn’t deserve to know.’: Woman with terminal genetic condition embraces her scars, ‘Look how hard my body works to keep me alive!’
“I was leaving the grocery store. An older woman was staring at me. I felt the familiar rush of blood heat my cheeks and anger rise in my throat. Instead of asking questions about a body that wasn’t hers, she smiled widely. ‘I think I saw you in a magazine!’ I exhaled and laughed, confirming that she had. My scarring looks like burns. This is ‘the worst disease you’ve never heard of.'”
‘At 13, I was 300 lbs. My dad told me, ‘If you want to kill yourself, I’ll help you pull the trigger.’: Woman undergoes weight loss surgery at husband’s demand, ‘My soul is healing with each bout of laughter’
“I almost died on the operating table while my husband was talking to other women. ‘He said you’re giving him a hard time about not coming to visit you. You need to be more independent and let him do his duties.’ I was physically and emotionally broken. I didn’t care if I survived.”
‘I see you,’ he’d text me. We rode the same bus. The stop was in front of my house, so he knew where I lived.’: Woman recalls 3 stalking encounters that still leave her in fear, ‘I constantly look for the closest object I could use to hit them if they were to attack me’
“Growing up, I always heard, ‘it’s the quiet ones you have to look out for,’ when it comes to people stalking you or committing gruesome crimes. While I’m sure this isn’t always the case, it was the case for me. My mom always told me to be nice to everyone, even if other people are being mean, so that’s what I did. I felt bad no one ever talked to him, so I made an effort to be nice to him.”
‘Mom, look at THAT!’ my son yelled. I had no idea what he was referring to. It looked like just a plain storefront.’: Colorblind boy receives color-correcting glasses for first time ever
“I found out Jonathan was colorblind when he was 9 years old. I never quite understood the extent it affected him. Today, in his science class, he received color-correcting glasses from his teacher for the first time ever. ‘Mom, look at that flashing OPEN sign! I had no idea! Do you see how bright red and blue the letters are?! I could look at this all day!’ I was blown away.”
‘It’s a call I’ll never forget. Her biological mom wanted her back. Never to be held by us again.’: Mom reflects on her tumultuous journey into motherhood
“The phone rang. All I heard was, ‘He’s yours.’ Even as I type this, I get goosebumps all over again just hearing those two simple words. I don’t remember what else was said after that. Less than 18 hours later, we were on a flight to Florida to meet our sweet son.”
‘But mama, we want to go sledding with you.’ Both girls looked at me with pleading eyes. I knew I had to go. I paused.’: Mom struggles to drop everything for her kids during holidays
“I looked around, boxes still unpacked, dishes to be done, dinner not yet cooked, and snow-day mess abounding, but this time instead of my mental checklist on repeat, I heard something different. That small voice that gently whispered, ‘How much longer will they want to do this with you?’”
‘He can’t save you.’ I was 5, lying on the floor with the covers pulled tight, my father holding a gun to my mother’s head.’: Woman overcomes abusive childhood, relationship, ‘I’m fighting to break the cycle’
“He cheated when I was 8 months pregnant. Somehow, it was my fault. ‘I’d never cheat and the baby isn’t even mine,’ he told me, even though I hadn’t been with anyone else. The next time he cheated, it was with my best friend. ‘Did you know Mary was opening a diner?’ It all made sense now! He had been having an affair and they were opening a cafe together! I knew I needed to file for divorce, but how?”
‘You alright, mama? It’s a beautiful day!’ He was right. We were about to meet our angel baby.’: Mom welcomes rainbow baby on exact same day she birthed stillborn year prior, ‘The most special sign I’ve ever received’
“I chose to birth Gigi. On induction day, my son ran in with the biggest smile on his face, jumping in our bed for cuddles. I held him tight, tears running down my face. ‘Ty, I am about to birth her.’ He looked right into my eyes. ‘Juss, I am so proud of you.’ We returned home just in time to tuck my son into bed. I shared a special story with him that night. ‘Your baby sister is safe in the stars. We are lucky to have our very own angel watching over us, forever.’”
‘I turned in my 2 weeks’ notice. I didn’t have any job prospects. I just knew if I stayed, that place would’ve sucked the life out of me.’: Woman abandons dream job after upper management creates ‘living hell’ environment
“The job I was so happy to go to every morning suddenly caused me such bad anxiety I could not even get out of bed in the morning. I started seeing a therapist. Life at work was a living hell. I cried as I pack up my desk. My supervisor didn’t even say two words to me. NEWS FLASH: People don’t leave jobs, they leave toxic work environments.”