From left: Ally’s accomplice; Cup of Jo readers Ally and Emma; and Emma’s accomplice. Cup of Jo readers are famously good storytellers, so it’s no shock that really inspiring stuff goes down within the feedback sections. We requested readers to share their favourite “come for the weblog, keep for the feedback” second… On discovering friendship: “After this publish kicked off a flurry of reader meet-ups, we — Ally and Emma — determined to satisfy for a stroll, although we had by no means met. Whereas speaking, we had been stunned to understand that the next Tuesday, we had been each heading to Mexico… on the identical flight… to the identical small city. So, a friendship blind date changed into worldwide journey plans inside three days! We went to the seashore, witnessed child sea turtles getting launched, and took sundown images collectively as if we’d recognized one another for years (picture above). We love sharing our origin story with folks — the ‘we met within the feedback of our favourite weblog’ by no means ceases to amaze.” — Ally and Emma “I went to a NYC get-together for individuals who responded to a publish about making pals as an grownup. I met a fellow reader who had just lately moved to town and wished to begin a wine membership. Now, years later, our wine membership nonetheless meets each single month. We’re from all totally different walks of life and would by no means have met if I hadn’t commented on that publish years in the past. Perpetually grateful.” — Lauren On phrases to recollect: “Years in the past, I learn a remark about how water makes all the pieces higher. Each time I’m unhappy, I take a bathe, cry, or drink a giant glass of water. It really works 99% of the time!” — Hannah “Each time I return a procuring cart within the car parking zone, I all the time assume: ‘Do it for Larry.’” — Lisa On bonding over books: “A number of years in the past, there was a publish about books that ended with tons of of feedback of readers’ all-time favorites. I made a large listing and for the final three years, I’ve been studying by all of them. That is spectacular for me as a result of I used to common two to 3 books a yr, however I now common 20! Thanks, CoJ, for increasing my horizons. — Shailaja “When my youngsters had been toddlers, each my mother and father had been going by most cancers therapies, and it was a really difficult interval. I bookmarked an Ashley Ford publish about romance novels and commenced studying by her listing, beginning with The Hating Sport. After I completed these, I began studying the books really helpful within the feedback. I felt supported by a group I trusted.” — Kate On marriage ceremony planning: “My then-fiancé and I discovered our first dance music within the Cup of Jo feedback! I used to be listening to songs really helpful on this publish, and after I heard Crowded Desk by the Highwomen, I acquired hooked on the uplifting refrain and wonderful lyrics. The music now means a lot to my accomplice and me and units the right tone for our marriage.” — Juliette “Whereas marriage ceremony planning, I used to be in search of readings that weren’t Bible verses. I stumbled onto this poetry publish. Deep within the feedback, somebody talked about Mouthful of Forevers by Clementine von Radics. After I learn it for the primary time, I sat at my desk at work simply weeping. My mom learn the poem throughout our ceremony, and I’ll all the time bear in mind how her voice caught on the final couple traces. I by no means would have discovered this poem with out the fantastic readers of Cup of Jo. So, thanks!” — Joanna On dealing with grief: “We misplaced our first child to a congenital coronary heart defect three days after her beginning. Later, I used to be studying a publish by which the interviewee stated she was ‘a mom of two,’ having misplaced a child herself. That resonated with me, and I shared within the feedback that I used to be a mom of 1. One other reader replied, ‘Be sort to your self, particularly on the laborious days.’ Extending kindness in direction of ourselves can really feel overseas but it surely was a lesson I desperately wanted. I’ve since shared the sentiment with others, and it all the time provides my coronary heart a tug.” — Kelsey “I work with stage 4 most cancers sufferers, and essentially the most profound feedback I’ve ever learn have been in response to the posts on grief. They’ve modified how I deal with troublesome conditions with sufferers of their understanding of what's occurring. Now when somebody experiences a loss, I’ll share these posts with them. They’ve made an enormous distinction for me and people I look after.” — Tricia On the most effective relationship recommendation: “5 years in the past, I used to be deep within the throes of deciding whether or not or to not have youngsters. I stumbled upon a publish known as ‘I’m Not Positive If I Need Children or Not. How Do You Determine?’ I pored over the feedback part for hours, late into the evening. I felt such camaraderie with these folks although we’d by no means met. The vary and depth of the responses had been unbelievable. As I learn, I felt compelled to do one thing that I’d by no means performed earlier than: I copied and pasted a collection of the feedback right into a word for myself. To me, they had been treasures and the concept of not with the ability to simply revisit them was untenable. What occurred was profound. I discovered my voice and my coronary heart in these handpicked feedback. These feedback resonated with me as a result of they matched the choice I’d made in my coronary heart however...
