“My dad said we could do something special for my 6th birthday. ‘Anything you want,’ he told me. I think he thought I was going to say ‘ice cream.’ But I said I wanted to go to New York City, and two weeks later we were on a plane. We spent the morning of my … Read more
July 15, 2019. The text read, “Hey Autumn, are you still interested in foster care? Remember when you said to let you know when I think I have someone that would potentially be a good fit? Well, I think I have someone…” Months prior, I had spoken with a friend at church who worked in … Read more
Time is just the most precious thing. The older you get, I guess the more you realize this. Maybe it’s not even an age thing. Maybe it’s a maturity thing, but none of us really knows for sure exactly how much of it we’re going to be given, and so when you truly grow, you … Read more
I don’t blame the girls. Not at all. I get it, I get it. But I’ve always wanted a wife. And kids. And as I get older it starts to get more real—I’ve never had a girlfriend. I’ve always been the funny fat friend. It’s the one thing I’m good at. Making people laugh. It’s … Read more
It all began when my Grandpa Moe made a wrong turn. He was 93 years old, but he was still driving to and from his butcher shop. And one night he missed his turn in the dark. That’s when I offered to start driving him home. But I think he misunderstood me. Because the next … Read more
In early May of 2021, I was finishing up an errand at the end of my day. Walking down the sidewalk on my usual route, I noticed a little baby squirrel right in the middle of the sidewalk. It was as if he knew I would be there…and he desperately needed to get my attention. … Read more
1. Everybody will never like you, or get you, or want you. That’s okay. We really do have to make our peace with it. 2. Keeping a pure heart is hard, but necessary. Staying soft is a gift, and choosing to love when it would be easier to hate is always the way to go. … Read more
My parents were refugees from Vietnam. And shortly after I was born, my mother got hired as a housekeeper. She couldn’t bear to leave me with a babysitter. So after only three days, she tried to quit. That’s when her employers insisted that she bring me to work instead. Their names were Charles and Kathleen … Read more
“Before she passed, she told my dad that she wanted him to fall in love again. ‘I’m going to find you the perfect woman,’ she said. ‘She’s going to love my daughters. And most importantly she’ll be a snow bunny.’ That was always the joke between them. Dad was a cross country skier so he … Read more
“Halfway home I asked to stop for a drink. Then afterward I hopped in the backseat to read a book to my brother. And that’s what saved me. Because the wreck happened a few miles down the road. The entire front of our car was crushed. My first thought was my hands. I had a … Read more
“‘Hey my bro, I’m just wondering if I could have some money, my bro. I just want the money for some food and clothes, my bro. Thank you, my bro.’ This was the message I received through Facebook messenger 2 years ago. I decided to reply to the sender, ‘Sorry, Brian, I can’t send you … Read more
“I was 16 years old when my family moved to Guatemala. Up until that point, I had basically been living the American dream, but that move caused a radical 180 in me when I began to really see the world from a new perspective. My life looked a lot different than most American teenagers. I … Read more