A Trusted Friend in a Complicated World

Real Life Stories

You’ve got to read it to believe it! These true stories seem almost too good to be true, but we promise that we couldn’t make these up. From love to loss and from survival to unbelieavable coincidences—we’ve got the wildest stories to keep you informed, entertained, and inspired.

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My House Burned Down, and Here’s What It Taught Me: One Mother’s Heart-Pounding True Story

"My family and I survived the blaze, but we thought we’d lost everything else. We were wrong."

“Pull Yourself Together!”: Rob Lowe on the Unexpected Tears of Sending His Son to College

The Emmy award-winning actor had no idea how hard it would be to send his favorite Patriots fan off to...


14 Short Stories About the Kindest, Bravest, Wisest Dads in the World

In 100 words or less, readers share their poignant tales of the bond between father and child


So I Let My Daughter Play With a Stranger at the Beach. And Then Learned This.

My misguided fear about my child interacting with strangers led to a heartwarming discovery.

How a Boy and His Telephone Operator Formed a Lovely, Lasting Friendship

In this Reader's Digest Classic, originally published in 1966 as "The Voice in the Box," a little boy forges a...


A Devoted Husband Confesses: Why I Wear Two Wedding Bands

A man explains to a stranger how wearing a second wedding band has changed his life.


The Unforgettable Legacy of Miss Bessie Taylor Gwynn

The lessons she taught went far beyond the three Rs.


6 Christmas Stories of Wonder and Love

It's a perfect time to read about how other families experience the joy of the season.


A Grandmother’s Tale: When Anne Lamott’s Teen Son Became a Dad

What would you do if your teenager had a child? For author Lamott, it was a crash course in the...