I can’t count how many times someone’s told me, “You’re so strong,” like it’s a compliment, like it’s the only option.
I smile and nod, because what else am I supposed to do? But inside, I’m screaming. Not because of my son’s diagnosis. Not because of the long nights or the appointments or the sideways stares from strangers when we’re out in public.
I’m screaming because no one ever says, “That looks hard. Do you need help?”
Or, “You shouldn’t have to do this alone.”
Instead, we get the inspirational label. People post pictures like the one above—me kissing my boy while he beams in his chair—and say things like, “This is what real strength looks like.” And yeah, he is amazing. He fights through more in a day than most people deal with in a year.
But that doesn’t mean I don’t need help. That doesn’t mean I’m not exhausted. That doesn’t mean my heart doesn’t ache every time I see him struggle or every time I have to make decisions that weigh on me more than anything should.
We need to stop glorifying this idea of “strength” as if it’s the only way to validate our existence. It’s like society expects us to wear this invisible armor all the time, to be grateful for every moment, to smile through the pain because we’re supposed to be “heroes” in the eyes of others. But the truth is, we’re just people. We’re just parents, doing the best we can with what life handed us.
And sometimes, the best we can do is admit we’re not okay. Sometimes, the best thing we can do is ask for help, even if it feels like the hardest thing in the world.
I’ll never forget the day I broke. It wasn’t a loud, dramatic moment. It wasn’t something that made headlines or turned into some viral story of strength. It was in the middle of a regular Tuesday. My son, Jake, had been sick for weeks. We’d been in and out of the hospital more times than I could count, trying to get his condition under control. The lack of sleep, the constant worry—it all piled up, until I finally hit my breaking point.
I was sitting in the waiting room at yet another doctor’s office, clutching my purse so tightly my knuckles turned white. Jake was playing with a toy, his eyes tired but focused, and I could see the concern in his face, even though he wasn’t old enough to fully understand what was going on.
The nurse called us in, and as I stood up, my legs felt like they were made of jelly. I remember thinking, I just need to make it through today. Just today. Then I could collapse, let the weight of it all hit me.
But when we walked into the exam room, I didn’t collapse. Instead, I felt my heart break into a million pieces. Jake smiled up at me, that innocent, trusting smile that makes everything feel like it’s worth it. But then, he asked, “Mom, will I get better? Will I be able to run and play with the other kids?”
And it was in that moment that I realized how much he was already internalizing. How much he understood. It wasn’t just the physical toll of his illness—it was the emotional weight that was starting to sink in.
I bent down to his level and tried to give him an answer that didn’t break me completely. But the truth was, I didn’t know if he would get better. I didn’t know if he’d ever be able to run and play like other kids. And that’s the hardest part of being a parent in this situation. The uncertainty. The constant fear of what’s to come.
After the appointment, as we made our way to the car, I felt the tears start to well up. Not the quiet ones you hold in, but the kind that threaten to spill out if you don’t find a way to hold them back. But I didn’t have to hold them back. For the first time, I let myself cry. Right there in the parking lot, I let it all out. The pain, the worry, the frustration. The exhaustion.
And that’s when I saw her.
A woman who had been sitting in her car, watching me. At first, I felt embarrassed, but then she stepped out and walked toward me.
“Hey,” she said softly, “I don’t mean to intrude, but I just want to say… I see you. I see what you’re doing, and I know it’s hard.”
I wiped my tears quickly, not knowing what to say.
“It’s okay,” she smiled gently. “I’m not here to tell you to be strong. I’m here to tell you that it’s okay to not be okay. It’s okay to ask for help. I’ve been there, too.”
It was the first time someone had said those words to me. It wasn’t about strength. It wasn’t about being a superhero. It was about being human. And in that moment, I realized that maybe I had been holding myself to an impossible standard. Maybe I didn’t have to carry this burden alone.
She didn’t give me a magical solution or tell me how to fix everything. But she gave me permission to be vulnerable, to admit that I wasn’t always okay, and that asking for help didn’t make me weak—it made me real.
In the weeks that followed, I started to reach out more. I accepted help from friends, family, and even people I didn’t know well. I started talking to other parents in similar situations, and I realized I wasn’t alone. We all carry burdens, and it’s okay to ask for a hand to help carry the load.
But it wasn’t just asking for help that changed things—it was also learning how to say no. I had spent so much time trying to be everything to everyone, trying to live up to the expectations of being this “strong” parent, that I neglected my own well-being. I’d say yes to every favor, every request, every appointment, without ever considering that I might be spreading myself too thin.
One day, I realized that saying no didn’t make me a bad parent. It made me a better one. Saying no allowed me to take care of myself so I could be there for Jake when he needed me the most.
And then came the unexpected twist: Jake’s health started improving. Slowly, but surely. After months of doctors and treatments, he finally started showing signs of progress. And the more I took care of myself, the better I was able to care for him.
It wasn’t a miraculous recovery, and we still had a long road ahead, but it was enough. Enough to make me realize that I was doing the best I could. And that was enough.
The karmic twist was this: when I stopped pretending to be “strong” all the time, I found real strength in the vulnerability and honesty that I had been avoiding. And in letting go of the pressure to be perfect, I found peace.
To anyone who is in a similar situation, struggling to hold everything together, please know this: You don’t have to be strong all the time. It’s okay to ask for help. It’s okay to not have it all figured out. And most importantly, it’s okay to take care of yourself, because you can’t pour from an empty cup.
If you found this helpful or if you know someone who needs to hear this today, please share it. You never know who might need this reminder that it’s okay to be human.
