Smith Magazine has been collecting stories of “a single, decision, happenstance, accident, call, conversation, or email” that changed readers lives for a new book. On our Facebook page last week, GalleyCat readers shared stories of moments that changed their lives.
Two readers were randomly selected to receive a free copy of a book from the series. Our first winner was Jennifer Crites, who wrote this moment: “The day I got the phone call: I had won an internship sponsored by the Society of Professional Journalists.”
The other lucky winner was Cristy Wright. She wrote: “The first: when my dad said, ‘well you know, your sisters kidney aren’t very good.’ The second: when the Coordinator said, ‘You’re a good match.’ The third: when I opened my eyes in Recovery. The fourth: when my dad called me one week later. His first words were ‘I’m sorry’ and I knew the transplant had failed.”
More reader stories follow below…
Stacy: My moment was when i got married in 2005 and when i had my kids in 2006 and 2008 and when my dad died in 2008. Also the last moment for now is when i got my book published august 19,2010. I became a wife and mom then lost my dad and became a writer in the coure of 5 years and wouldn’t change a thing. I realized you need to go for it.
Laura Strachan: The moment when I, as a poor reader, misheard my 2nd grade teacher who was calling out names for the highest reading group. Rather than embarrass me, the teacher took me aside later and said I could stay in that group if I kept up with the work. I did. To quote Robert Frost, “that has made all the difference.”
Kris Kennedy: My life was changed forever the day I started doing research for a Master’s thesis on disorganized attachment and dissociative identity disorder (DID) and I realized that I was reading about me and my life. In the last 4-years my life unfolded. I plunged into the depths of reality. I am learning to know who I truly am and that it is good.
Cindy Conover Dashnaw: Having just delivered her, I turned my head to see my screaming infant daughter, and my very first thought about her was, “Oh my God, I have to take that home.” (I’ve never regretted becoming a mother!)
Chelsy Snead: The day I was asked “What’s the most exciting thing you’ve done lately?” and I couldn’t come up with a single thing. I moved to Italy six months later.
Greg Freed: When I got accepted to Emerson’s Graduate Certificate in Book Publishing: Finally, a reason to leave Texas.
Pinky Stanseski When I adopted a loving puppy who was an abused puppy,but,she turned out to be a loyal, loving,family member.
Sandra Martin When I decided my life was going no where, so I sold everything I owned, packed my clothes and moved 2000 miles away.
Robin Patterson: My moment was when my grandmother died. I realized my mother was now the matriarch of the family which in turn led the realization that one day I would be the matriarch of the family. And that made me realize that the matriarch hosts Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners and I don’t know how to cook a turkey. And that even if I ever cooked a turkey, it would never be as good as their turkeys, and thus holidays will one day never be the same again.