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My mother and father have been married fifty-seven years and are best friends. They raised four children and have eight grandchildren. For most of their lives they owned a small business and worked hard to save for retirement. They recently turned the business over to my brother and set off for a few days in Florida. Shortly after they returned from Florida, my dad was having some pain in his leg. A couple of weeks later, he was diagnosed with terminal bone cancer. My dad was scared. My mom was scared too, but knew how important it was to be there for my dad. Although we are only a few months into this, my mom has showed amazing strength and courage for my dad and her entire family. She has incredible faith and stamina and always makes sure that my dad’s needs are being met as well as her children and grandchildren. Both of my parents are always giving back to the community and are there for others even though they have little means. My mom is determined to keep this up in the midst of our crisis. My mom is beautiful, but recently she said that she feels she has aged over the past few months and feels ashamed of her appearance. Please give her one last chance to be beautiful for my dad! That would mean the world to us all! 

From this issue

/Your%20Child%20Has%20Come%20Out—Now%20What?%20Showing%20Support%20and%20Offering%20Unconditional%20Love
It's critical to offer understanding, support and unconditional love to your child if they choose to come out to you. That experience for Ollie Robison (xe/he/they), Healthcare Coordinator, Grand Rapids Pride Center, was a long and complex one, coming out multiple times in different ways to the same people.
/Building%20Your%20Spring%20and%20Summer%20Capsule%20Wardrobe
Winter is behind us and we're ready to ditch the bulky sweaters, heavy boots and puffy coats for lighter, brighter and fresher styles. Rather than mindlessly buying up a hoard of trendy items, Kathryn Snow of Style Me Ada—an expert personal stylist and shopper—walks us through building a capsule wardrobe that will keep you feeling confident and stylish all spring and summer.
/Healing%20From%20Childhood%20Trauma:%20You%20Can%20Rewrite%20Your%20Story
Your childhood may be long past, but its influence is reflected in your present—it shapes how you see the world and how you interact with others. Maybe you've noticed patterns you can't quite shake, like anxiety that won't settle. Or maybe you struggle with depth in relationships or find yourself overwhelmed because of your tendency to overachieve (or overextend).
/Michigan%20Outdoors—The%20Long%20and%20Short%20of%20It!
Living in West Michigan, we have an abundance of places to go to soak up the great outdoors. In every season, travelers head to their favorite hot spots in the lakeshore quadfecta of Muskegon, Grand Haven, Holland and Saugatuck—or stick around Grand Rapids for all it has to offer. While we never tire of spotlighting the standbys, what else is there? Let's take a tour!