My mom was my rock. We were always short on money, sometimes without water or electricity, and I had two stepdads who didn’t measure up.
But my mom never let hardship dim her spirit. She shielded me from worry and made everything feel okay. Despite lacking many material things, I remember my childhood as full of warmth and happiness, all because she chose to see life positively. © Unknown author / Reddit
Story 6
I was stood up at prom, left standing outside the venue in full makeup and dress. Phones were off. I was cold, embarrassed, and alone.
Suddenly, my aunt pulled up in her beat-up Jeep. She had snacks in the back and crutches up front. “We’re going to a drive-in. They don’t cancel,” she said.
She’d driven seven hours, against her doctor’s advice, just to find me. We watched The Princess Bride through tears and French fries. She saved the night—and my heart.
Story 7
At rock bottom and jobless, I was desperate. My cousin told his boss I was a “data wizard”—I didn’t even own a laptop. The job was remote, so he spent two weeks coaching me nightly over video calls, creating fake projects and mock interviews.
I landed the job, thanks to all his efforts. When the boss eventually found out, he just laughed, calling me their “best fake hire ever.” I’ve been promoted twice since, but to my cousin, I’m still the Data Wizard.
Story 8
When I was 9, I accidentally broke my older brother’s prized soccer trophy right before his tryouts. I was too scared to admit it and sat crying in the hall.
My dad saw what happened, glued the trophy back (poorly), and told my brother he’d dropped it while dusting. My brother didn’t get mad. He hugged Dad and said, “It’s okay.”
Years later, at his wedding, I confessed. He just smiled and said, “I knew. But watching Dad take the blame meant more than that trophy ever did.”
