It’s heartwarming to hear about people who have amazing parents who support them with love and laughter, even as they grow older. Their stories can really touch your heart and make you appreciate your own loved ones even more.
- Mom noticed Dad had red lipstick on his collar, but she didn’t confront him about it. A few days later, I discovered the foundation on his hand, which infuriated me. I confronted my dad, causing a big scene. He confessed that he was taking makeup classes, which only made my mom angrier.
However, my dad proved he wasn’t cheating; he had been practicing makeup on himself. He demonstrated his skills, showing how well he could do it. He explained that with two daughters, one grown and one young, and another on the way, he wanted to be a good dad who could do anything for them.
- At the age of 17, I suddenly realized that I didn’t fit the conventional standards of beauty among my peers. I faced ridicule for being red-haired, petite, and freckled. To hide my insecurities, I started covering my freckles with foundation, dyed my hair dark, and wore ill-fitting clothes. My dad noticed this change and gently probed to understand the reason behind it.
Eventually, I broke down, cried, and poured out my heart to him. In response, he simply said, «So what if you’re petite, with short legs, and red-haired? These are just features! Look at how cute you are! Embrace who you are.» His words struck a chord within me, and I finally began to accept and love myself for who I am.
- I stumbled upon a mysterious note tucked inside Dad’s wallet one day. Intrigued, I decided to investigate further. Days later, while rummaging through Dad’s briefcase, I discovered a hidden compartment containing another note and a small trinket. Confused and curious, I confronted Dad, demanding an explanation for these clandestine discoveries.
To my surprise, Dad confessed that he had been leaving secret love notes and tokens of affection around the house for Mom as a romantic gesture. Initially taken aback, I couldn’t help but feel touched by Dad’s thoughtfulness and creativity. Witnessing this sweet gesture between my parents sparked a newfound appreciation for the depth of their love, showing me the power of small surprises in keeping the spark alive in a relationship.
- Father returned from work, his expression serious as he approached my mom and me. He began, «Do you know who I just saw?!» We waited in anticipation as he continued, «I was walking in the dark, with only one lantern shining, when suddenly, a huge hare jumped out!» Mom and I exchanged surprised glances, only for Dad to pull out a large chocolate bar, saying, «So this bunny asked me to give you a chocolate bar!» Despite being 24 years old, I still fall for this joke about the bunny, as if I were still 6!
- After finishing school, I accompanied my mother to enroll in university. I passed the exams and was accepted, with my mother’s help in securing a dorm room. Late in the evening, my mom left, leaving me with all the money except for enough for her ticket back home. Excited to start this new chapter of independence, I eagerly joined new friends for a night of celebration.
What I didn’t know was that my mother missed the last bus and spent the entire night at the station, with only enough money for a ticket and a simple meal of tea and cookies. It wasn’t until 7 years later that I learned about her sacrifice, and I cried uncontrollably upon realizing her selflessness.
- During a family camping trip, I mentioned how much I’d love to try fishing. Despite not being huge fans of fishing themselves, my parents set up all the gear and patiently showed me how to cast a line. Throughout the day, I struggled to catch anything, but they kept cheering me on with big smiles.
Finally, I caught my first fish—a tiny trout—and their excitement was contagious. It wasn’t until much later that I realized they had given up their fun to make sure I had a chance to try fishing. Their selfless gesture showed me just how much they cared, leaving a lasting impression on my heart.
- A week before my wedding, I discovered that my fiancé was cheating on me. Heartbroken, I turned to my mother for advice. While she sympathized with me, she urged me not to cancel the wedding. She reasoned that since everything was paid for, and I’d feel ashamed in front of relatives, it was best to go through with it for now, and later I could seek revenge and find peace. Reluctantly, I agreed.
However, my wedding day turned out to be the worst day of my life. Just before the ceremony, my dad noticed my distress and pulled me aside for a chat. I broke down and confessed everything to him. Instead of scolding me, he hugged me tightly and said, «Your happiness is what matters most. We’ll handle this together.» With his support, I confronted my cheating fiancé, expressed my true feelings, and walked away with my dignity intact. As we left, my dad proudly said, «That’s my girl!» and added a few words of affection.
- I remember my dad always getting really excited about very cheap, mundane foods like plain puffed rice cereal, bologna sandwiches, and unflavored steel-cut oats. He would get us all amped up about it, and we would want to eat it instead of the more expensive stuff we really wanted because of how much he talked it up. Now that I am older (and as a father myself), I don’t think he actually loved all these things that much. Instead, my parents just didn’t have the money to buy all that expensive food to feed three growing boys. © Rebelsoul3480 / Reddit
- A friend’s 14-year-old daughter boldly requested money for a tattoo—right on her face. While her mom resorted to calming herbal drinks, the father and daughter engaged in a serious discussion about the matter. Eventually, they agreed to visit a tattoo artist over the weekend. «I’ll pay double,» declared the father, «but first, you’ll feel the needle without any ink.»
During the appointment, the father discreetly instructed the artist to make the process as painful as possible. As the heart design began to take shape on her cheek, the daughter howled in agony—it hurt a lot. Despite the pain, they returned home that evening, all satisfied. It seems the father’s approach maintained a positive relationship with his daughter; after all, a stubborn refusal might have only led to more defiance.
- I went to visit my parents, feeling tired and overwhelmed with problems from all sides—work, friends, and personal issues. My mom and dad immediately sensed my mood and set out to cheer me up. They made my favorite comfort foods: cutlets with mashed potatoes and cake with tea.
Then, my father surprised me by borrowing a sled from a neighbor and taking me for a ride. For a couple of hours, all my worries melted away, and I felt like a child again—carefree and joyful. In those precious moments, I realized that no matter how old I am, I will always be my dad’s little daughter in his eyes.
We recommend reading a story of a woman who tried to warn her sister about her new boyfriend, but unfortunately, her sister didn’t take her advice. Now, she’s going through a tough divorce.
Preview photo credit jcomp / Freepik
My Best Friend Gave Me the Wrong Dress Code for Her Wedding – I Decided to Outplay Her Smartly
My Best Friend Gave Me the Wrong Dress Code for Her Wedding – I Decided to Outplay Her Smartly
When Emily’s friend, Elle, gets engaged to her boyfriend, Brian, she is completely over the moon. Emily does everything she can to help Elle plan her dream wedding. But then Elle starts acting secretive and gives Emily a wedding invite with the incorrect dress code. Thankfully, a mutual colleague gives Emily the correct details, allowing her to show up to the wedding to teach Elle a lesson.
“I’m engaged, Em!” Elle said, rushing through my door while I was sitting on the couch and reading a book.
A woman reading on a couch | Source: Unsplash
“What?” I exclaimed, standing up to hug her tightly. “I’m so happy for you, my girl!”
Elle sat down on the couch and showed me her hand.
“Look at this rock!” she said.
A close-up of an engagement ring | Source: Unsplash
Of course, I was over the moon for her. We’d been through so much together, and now it was her turn to walk down the aisle.
For my wedding, a few years ago, Elle had been right by my side. She helped me plan every little detail, from the font on my wedding invitations to the menu selections.
“It’s more like you and Elle are getting married,” my husband, Grant, laughed one evening when I told him everything that Elle and I had planned.
A laughing man | Source: Unsplash
“Well, she’s been around longer than you,” I replied, showing him the mockup for our wedding invitations.
And it was true, Elle and I had been friends since our childhood, having lived on the same street and gone to the same kindergarten together.
We shared every major milestone, from awkward teenage years to college graduation, together.
Two women lying on a bed | Source: Pexels
We even ended up working at the same company, making sure to have lunch and tea breaks together every day.
So, naturally, I expected her to be just as involved in her wedding planning as she was in mine.
“Brian and I don’t want to be engaged for too long,” she said one day at the office while we were having tea and pastries.
An office kitchen | Source: Unsplash
“So, we’re planning for the wedding to be in a few months.”
“That’s a lot to do in a few months, Elle,” I said, sipping my tea.
“I know,” she agreed. “But you’ll help me!”
A woman drinking from a mug | Source: Pexels
As the weeks went by, Elle asked me for advice on the venue, the dance, and the flowers.
“I need it to be perfect, Em,” she said. “Brian and I are the only children of our parents, so this is the only chance they’re going to get to be parents of the bride and groom.”
A smiling older couple | Source: Midjourney
I helped her wherever I could. I booked visits of stunning venues that she could see. I booked her appointment with the florist who had done all the flowers at my wedding. And I arranged for her to meet my choreographer for her first dance with Brian.
“I don’t know how I could have done any of this without you,” Elle said, holding my hand.
Two women holding hands | Source: Midjourney
But that’s not the best part of this story.
Despite our shared history and all the assistance I had given Elle throughout her wedding planning process, she didn’t tell me anything about the actual wedding.
“I want to keep the location a secret,” she said sheepishly, a small smile on her face. “I want it to be a surprise. So, you’ll know when the invites come out.”
A close-up of a smiling woman | Source: Midjourney
And yet, when the invitations came out, I never received mine.
“Darling,” I asked Grant when I got home one day. “Did Elle’s wedding invitation come in the post?”
“No,” he said, looking up from his tablet. “Shouldn’t she have just given it to you?”
A man using a tablet | Source: Midjourney
“I thought so, but I’m not sure where our invitation is.”
“Ask her, love,” my husband said.
I was puzzled, but I didn’t want to jump to conclusions.
A close-up of a surprised woman | Source: Midjourney
So, I asked her directly.
“Oh, right,” she said, looking a bit uncomfortable. “I must have forgotten. I don’t have any on me at the moment, but I’ll bring one for you tomorrow!”
The next day, Elle handed me an invite. To my surprise, the dress code was “Mermaid.”
A wedding invitation on a table | Source: Midjourney
“Like the cartoon character?” I said aloud.
It seemed bizarre, but Elle had always loved that cartoon, so I tried to rationalize it.
“Maybe she’s going for a whimsical theme?” I muttered, thinking about a mermaid-themed wedding.
An imagined mermaid-themed wedding | Source: Midjourney
But still, I planned my outfit for Elle’s wedding.
It was about a week before the wedding when our colleague, Jane, and I were standing outside during one of our tea breaks and chatting.
“I’m actually looking forward to getting all dressed up,” Jane said. “It’s been a while since I put on a good pair of heels and did my makeup for fun and not work.”
A woman putting on makeup | Source: Unsplash
“What do you mean? Is your costume all sorted?” I asked.
“What costume?” Jane asked, her reaction priceless; she looked at me like I had lost my mind.
“Elle’s invitation said that the dress code was mermaid-themed,” I said.
A surprised young woman | Source: Midjourney
“I think she’s joking with you,” Jane laughed. “My invitation said ‘Cocktail’ as the dress code.”
My heart sank.
Elle was setting me up, but why?
For the next few days, I kept my head down, barely interacting with Elle.
A close-up of a sad woman | Source: Midjourney
I was feeling sidelined and hurt. We’d always been honest with each other, so why was she doing this now?
I remembered how supportive she was during my wedding and couldn’t understand why she didn’t want me involved in hers.
On the day of the wedding, I arrived in a long, elegant gray dress.
A woman wearing a long gray dress | Source: Midjourney
Grant and I sat at the back, away from the crowd, and we watched the beautiful ceremony unfold. I wondered why I wasn’t a bridesmaid.
But it was only during the reception, when Elle saw me, that the truth came out.
A bridal couple kissing | Source: Unsplash
“What the hell are you wearing?” she demanded when she saw me.
The guests around us glanced at us and each other, sensing the tension.
“You know, I really thought that ‘mermaids’ as the wedding theme was a bit extreme. But then Jane showed me her invitation.”
An angry bride | Source: Midjourney
Elle’s face went through a range of emotions, finally settling on a strained calm.
“Em… I guess it was a mistake,” she said.
“Stop pretending,” I said, my voice firm but gentle. “I’m your friend. It’s your wedding. What’s going on?”
She hesitated, her eyes darting around before finally meeting mine.
A close-up of a bride | Source: Midjourney
“Em,” she said slowly. “I was afraid that you’d outshine me. Everyone keeps talking about how perfect your wedding was and how beautiful you looked. I didn’t want to feel like I was in your shadow on my own day.”
I looked at her carefully, trying to process her words.
“My own mother kept talking about how wonderful your wedding was and that I should listen to you about everything,” she continued.
A close-up of a bride and her mother | Source: Midjourney
“Elle, you never had to compete with me. Your wedding is beautiful, and so are you. We’re friends, remember? I would never try to overshadow you.”
Tears welled up in her eyes.
“I’m so sorry, Em,” she choked. “I let my insecurities get the best of me.”
I pulled her into a hug.
Two women hugging | Source: Midjourney
“Everything is perfect,” I said. “You’ve planned your dream wedding, and it has all fallen into place. Now, come on. Let’s enjoy this day together, like we’ve always done.”
The tension melted away, and the awkwardness dissolved as we shared a genuine moment of reconciliation.
Grant and I sat at a table away from the crowd.
A table at a wedding reception | Source: Midjourney
“Are things okay with you and Elle?” Grant asked me.
“I think so,” I smiled. “But I think that there’s bigger things we need to discuss, too. I just want to make sure that we’re on the right page. That can wait until after her honeymoon.”
My husband took my hand and squeezed it gently.
A couple holding hands on a table | Source: Midjourney
What would you have done?
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