What I Really Want My Late Mother To Say To Me

My mother has cancer. It has metastasized to her forehead. Her eyebrow, actually. She’s in pain. And she’s pissed. This is all horrifying. Sad. And, interesting. Interesting, because my mother passed away last August. I’m living what you might know, Dear Reader. You, who has said goodbye to someone you love. Someone who is gone, just not really gone. And so, it is, these nights, that my mother shows up in dreams. This happens about once a week. She’s angry.

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Dishwasher Is Made A Partner In One Of World’s Greatest Restaurants

It takes a lot of jobs to make a great restaurant work: chef, server, hostess, and yes, dishwasher. This is what they know at Noma, named one of the best restaurants in the world. Ali Sonko has worked at Noma in Copenhagen, Denmark, since it opened in 2003. He emigrated from the West African nation of Gambia. Noma has done so well that it is in the process of building a bigger restaurant. As the business makes the transition, Chef/Owner

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Why Ed Sheeran Says An Illegal Act Is The Secret To His Career Success

How much is there to love about Ed Sheeran? His songwriting? His sweet voice? His impish grin? Yes, yes and yes. He’s become an international superstar. There’s his talent, hardwork, his creative way of building his career. And then there is this– The illegal act that he says is the secret to his success. He opens up to CBS News’ Mark Phillips. I enjoy every second with the singer I like to call, “My Eddie,” (since I imagine he’s singing

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How My Daughter’s Secret Compromised My Marriage

They are the words that inspire panic in any well-meaning parent. “I’m going to tell you something,” my daughter announced this week, but you have to promise me you won’t tell any other member of this family.” Talk about the ultimate morals test. On one hand, I was thrilled and relieved that Daughter trusted me enough to share her deep, dark secret. On the other, keep a secret from my husband? We just don’t have that kind of marriage. On

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Koala Baby Clings To His Mother While She Has Life-Saving Surgery

Leave it to a baby koala named, “Phantom,” to be the best smile therapy you will find today. He certainly was the magic potion for his mum who had to undergo surgery at the Australia Zoo. The Courier Mail newspaper reports the mother and her 6-month-old baby were hit by a car along an Australian highway.  Baby Phantom was okay, but mother Lizzie had significant injuries including a collapsed lung. Veterinarians knew that mama would need surgery. They figured it would

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Kind Stranger Takes Lonely Widower On Dream Vacay After Ad For New Fishing Buddy

You don’t have to go fishing far to find a story that will melt your heart like this one. It starts with Ray Johnstone, a lonely widower in Australia who placed an ad for a new fishing buddy when his old friend passed away. Sky News reports that 22-year-old Mati Batsinilas saw that ad and his heart immediately felt for Mr. Johnstone. Fishing? He wanted a buddy to go fish with? Mati decided to up that idea to the next

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The Alligator And Canoe It Took To Finally Legalize Our Marriage

It’s possible our marriage wasn’t even legal. It’s not like my husband and I were in a crazy hurry to get married. We dated for two years. Carefully read and answered a book with 276 pre-marital questions. And yet, somehow we got hitched without what Husband said he would never do. “We can’t get married without going on a canoe trip,” he declared sometime during dating. We would have to see how we would do paddling a canoe. Together. Do

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How One Incredible Mom Helped Her Son With Autism Find His Voice

This isn’t just a story of one mom who has a son with autism. This one is more personal for me. It’s about my good friend and former CNN colleague, Parisa Khosravi, and her son Payam. I’ll never forget sitting across from Parisa at Houston’s. This is probably 11 years ago. Her young son wasn’t hitting the usual developmental milestones. After extensive testing, they had a diagnosis. This beautiful boy with the longest eyelashes ever was on the autism spectrum.

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How Losing Love Has Sent Me Into Crazy Land

I’ve become that lady. The crazy one. You probably figured this was coming, Dear Reader. Checking in each week to see if I’ve become her yet. Indeed, I have. The crazy lady who misses her dog. Beyond misses. Most days, I ache. It’s been about two months since DarlaDog passed. I still swear I can hear her collar jingling in the other room. Still catch my breath when I see a few scraps from dinner and have to remind myself,

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