Inspirational Stories / Motivational Stories

KEEP GOING

By Ibrahim on October 09, 2020 / 3,514 views

By Ibrahim on October 09, 2020 / 3,514 views

My criminal record kept me from getting a job so I hired myself got hotdog cart off Craigslist and a Sams Club membership made $400 a day -- $300 more than what that employer was...

I Have Decided

By A Friend on October 08, 2020 / 3,101 views

This is the end. And the beginning. The end of endless self guilt, procrastination, postponing and ignoring the reality, running away and hiding, crying, blaming others. The end of overthiking and not following my dreams. The end of giving a sh*t about other people's opinions. The end of wishing something that is not in my power, and whining over the past or daydreaming about the...

Never Too Soon

By Joseph J. Mazzella on October 06, 2020 / 3,491 views

It is closing in on my 54th birthday as I write this and I am reminded of a wonderful quote by the writer, Colette: “What a wonderful life I’ve had. I only wish I’d realized it sooner.” I was so blessed to grow up the way I did. I was surrounded by a loving family. I seemed to have all of nature as my playground. I took walks in the woods, went swimming every day during the summer, had...

Warmhearted

By Lettie on October 06, 2020 / 3,695 views

When I was 22 yrs-old I experienced a neighbor's deep and warm heart. I had been home from college since December, seriously depressed and "lost" after the loss of a long-term relationship. By summertime my mother's neighbor and friend, a woman everyone knew and liked, came to the house and invited me to tea at her home that evening. That night she set out a beautiful tea set (she was British...

Ham Saved My Life Yesterday

By A Friend on October 06, 2020 / 3,936 views

By A Friend on October 06, 2020 / 3,936 views

Ham saved my life yesterday. He hurt his paw but I'm alive because of his bravery.  I was working on my house where I fell and was critically injured. He ran to me and started howling and crying; he tried to drag me and ripped his foot open. Luckily he got my neighbors attention. I should be dead, but he saved me. Thank you, Ham. You are my best friend. ...

Identity

By A Friend on October 03, 2020 / 2,552 views

I shared my "identity" with a twin...and until about 9 yrs-old my name was "Twinny". And so was hers! My name was frequently HER name, when someone thought I was her (usually followed by, "Oh, wrong one!"). Every once in awhile I was called my name: Someone would look at me and - lo and behold! - would see ME. But I knew how difficult it was for my siblings, friends and teachers...

Seasoned With Love

By Joseph J. Mazzella on October 02, 2020 / 3,584 views

I couldn’t have been more than ten or eleven years old. It was a hot, Summer afternoon and I decided to cool off by taking a swim in the river that ran down the hill from our home. The water was cold and my dog jumped in to splash around with me. After a while I grabbed my towel and headed back up to the house. I knew that dinner would be ready soon. I walked in through the enclosed back porch...

All The Old Black Ladies I Work With Make Me Feel The Most Loved I've Felt In Years

By Bambi on September 30, 2020 / 3,022 views

Hey so I've had a horrible past 10 years. Childhood trauma and depression, addiction, abuse etc it's all a lot. I'm female, 24 and work in London after moving here this time last year from small village life. I now work in the mental health industry and the majority of my coworkers are African or Carribean emigrants. Every day they make my heart swell with love with the way they scold me...

Fingerprints Of God

By Joseph J. Mazzella on September 26, 2020 / 4,240 views

I haven’t been watching the news as much lately. The daily drumbeat of death, disease, and destruction has been starting to wear me down. Anytime I turned on the television it seemed like the whole world was ready to end. Thankfully, God doesn’t just show us all the news that is bad but also gives us daily reminders of His Kindness, Caring, and Love. I got one of these reminders just...

PANCAKE DAY IS HERE

By A Friend on September 21, 2020 / 3,469 views

By A Friend on September 21, 2020 / 3,469 views

This is a post we found on Facebook that warmed my heart so much. It was posted by a father who was so excited about his daughter's first sleepover. "Y'all, Nora is having her first sleepover tonight. Her best friend Faye is coming over and that means one of my biggest dad goals is gonna happen tomorrow morning. Making pancakes for them in the morning. The moment I...

Royal

By Lettie on September 18, 2020 / 3,199 views

One afternoon transformed me! In a moment, every word I'd ever learned about love was translated into flesh and blood and pulsated with life! I'd flown across the country to attend a special ceremony at Fort Benning, Georgia, and for the weekend my son and I spent hours and days together in Columbus, the small town there. Being a vegetarian, I'd prepared a list of cafes and...

I Woke Up This Morning In A Fit Of Slobbering Tears

By A Friend on September 16, 2020 / 2,818 views

It's as if 20 years of living a misdirected life finally came to a head in the wee hours of September 13th, 2020. I'm not sure why *this* morning was the morning that the world chose to reveal this epiphany to me, but here I sit. Gobsmacked. Flummoxed. Piteous. Broken. Life has decided that it has had enough of me living for myself. And, life has made this...

Equal

By Joseph J. Mazzella on September 15, 2020 / 3,926 views

I was 16 years old and on a week long trip to visit a Seminary college in Iowa. On the way our group had stopped in Chicago for a few days. We were staying in a building owned by the church on the south side of the city and had been warned not to go out alone. It wasn’t long, though, before I was feeling cooped up and decided to sneak out for a short walk. I was going down a street when I saw other...

10 Bad Mental Habits That You Should Let Go

By A Friend on September 10, 2020 / 3,943 views

1. Thinking the world owes you a cosmic reward, especially as a result of your actions. 2. Blaming other people for your lack of achievement. 3. Wallowing too much in the future that you can't focus on the present. 4. The need to compare yourself to others to measure your success. 5. The habit of telling self-deprecating words to yourself. 6. Putting...

I'm A Gambling Man

By A Friend on September 09, 2020 / 3,983 views

By A Friend on September 09, 2020 / 3,983 views

Group of young kids caught me on my way into the store. Asked me if I wanted to make a bet. I replied "I'm a gambling man" Older kid said he could ride a wheelie on his bike stop sign to stop sign. I said no way.. and how much? He said $10. I said why $10? He said they wanted a large pizza at Dominos... I said deal. He came very close but couldn't hold his...

The Generosity Of Neighbors

By Carleen on September 07, 2020 / 3,272 views

I recently posted a message (on Next Door) asking if anyone had furniture they could donate to my son’s class at Piney Woods Boarding School to create a homey environment for his students. The outpouring of generosity was incredible. He has enough pieces of furniture to create a wonderful space in his classroom as well as another teacher’s classroom. He is excited for his students to see...

A Pint Of Blood

By Joseph J. Mazzella on September 05, 2020 / 3,339 views

I was sitting at a table eating a chicken salad sandwich. I wasn’t really hungry but I was supposed to sit a bit and eat something to replenish my strength before heading home. I had left early to be first in line at a blood drive being held 15 miles away from my home. I knew that the changes due to Covid-19 would make the donation process even longer than it was before and I was right. I stood at the...