From left: Ally’s partner; Cup of Jo readers Ally and Emma; and Emma’s partner.
Cup of Jo readers are famously good storytellers, so it’s no surprise that truly inspiring stuff goes down in the comments sections. We asked readers to share their favorite “come for the blog, stay for the comments” moment…
On finding friendship:
“After this post kicked off a flurry of reader meet-ups, we — Ally and Emma — decided to meet for a walk, even though we had never met. While talking, we were surprised to realize that the following Tuesday, we were both heading to Mexico… on the same flight… to the same small town. So, a friendship blind date turned into international travel plans within three days! We went to the beach, witnessed baby sea turtles getting released, and took sunset photos together as if we’d known each other for years (photo above). We love sharing our origin story with people — the ‘we met in the comments of our favorite blog’ never ceases to amaze.” — Ally and Emma
“I went to a NYC get-together for people who responded to a post about making friends as an adult. I met a fellow reader who had recently moved to the city and wanted to start a wine club. Now, years later, our wine club still meets every single month. We’re from all different walks of life and would never have met if I hadn’t commented on that post years ago. Forever grateful.” — Lauren
On words to remember:
“Years ago, I read a comment about how water makes everything better. Whenever I’m sad, I take a shower, cry, or drink a big glass of water. It works 99% of the time!” — Hannah
“Whenever I return a shopping cart in the parking lot, I always think: ‘Do it for Larry.’” — Lisa
On bonding over books:
“Several years ago, there was a post about books that ended with hundreds of comments of readers’ all-time favorites. I made a giant list and for the last three years, I’ve been reading through all of them. This is impressive for me because I used to average two to three books a year, but I now average 20! Thank you, CoJ, for expanding my horizons. — Shailaja
“When my kids were toddlers, both my parents were going through cancer treatments, and it was a very challenging period. I bookmarked an Ashley Ford post about romance novels and began reading through her list, starting with The Hating Game. When I finished those, I started reading the books recommended in the comments. I felt supported by a community I trusted.” — Kate
On wedding planning:
“My then-fiancé and I found our first dance song in the Cup of Jo comments! I was listening to songs recommended on this post, and when I heard Crowded Table by the Highwomen, I got hooked on the uplifting chorus and amazing lyrics. The song now means so much to my partner and me and sets the perfect tone for our marriage.” — Juliette
“While wedding planning, I was looking for readings that weren’t Bible verses. I stumbled onto this poetry post. Deep in the comments, someone mentioned Mouthful of Forevers by Clementine von Radics. When I read it for the first time, I sat at my desk at work just weeping. My mother read the poem during our ceremony, and I’ll always remember how her voice caught on the last couple lines. I never would have found this poem without the wonderful readers of Cup of Jo. So, thank you!” — Joanna
On coping with grief:
“We lost our first baby to a congenital heart defect three days after her birth. Later, I was reading a post in which the interviewee said she was ‘a mother of two,’ having lost a baby herself. That resonated with me, and I shared in the comments that I was a mother of one. Another reader replied, ‘Be kind to yourself, especially on the hard days.’ Extending kindness towards ourselves can feel foreign but it was a lesson I desperately needed. I’ve since shared the sentiment with others, and it always gives my heart a tug.” — Kelsey
“I work with stage four cancer patients, and the most profound comments I’ve ever read have been in response to the posts on grief. They’ve changed how I treat difficult situations with patients in their understanding of what is happening. Now when someone experiences a loss, I’ll share these posts with them. They’ve made a huge difference for me and those I care for.” — Tricia
On the best relationship advice:
“Five years ago, I was deep in the throes of deciding whether or not to have kids. I stumbled upon a post called ‘I’m Not Sure If I Want Kids or Not. How Do You Decide?’ I pored over the comments section for hours, late into the night. I felt such camaraderie with these people even though we’d never met. The range and depth of the responses were unbelievable. As I read, I felt compelled to do something that I’d never done before: I copied and pasted a selection of the comments into a note for myself. To me, they were treasures and the idea of not being able to easily revisit them was untenable. What happened was profound. I found my voice and my heart in these handpicked comments. These comments resonated with me because they matched the decision I’d made in my heart but hadn’t yet made in my head. I now have two wonderful children and know, without a doubt, that I made the right decision for me. I’ll always be thankful to the CoJ community.” — Lauren
“A reader named Meg once commented: ‘My mom described love like light. For some people, it’s like a lightswitch. Boom, light! Boom, you know! And for others, maybe it’s more like a sunrise. Indistinguishable at first. Light coming so gradually that you almost don’t notice until all of a sudden, you find yourself in the full bright sun… The great love in my life was a sunrise.’ Honestly, until then, I’d only had ‘lightswitch’ romances. But my last ‘lightswitch’ love truly broke me, so my heart was tender and tentative. When my current partner and I started dating, instead of sparks, I felt a deep level of comfort and ease that was so unfamiliar that I was almost suspicious. He is kind, patient, and encourages me to be my messiest, most imperfect self. It sounds cheesy but I came back to this comment several times for reassurance that it was okay to not immediately ‘know.’ We’re still together and I quoted this CoJ comment in my two-year-anniversary card, calling him my ‘great sunrise love.’” — Sonia
On a cheering section when you need it most:
“Cup of Jo commenters have been there for me through life’s biggest moments and provided a warm hug when I didn’t even know I needed one. I remember being at work reading a ‘How are you doing?’ post. I commented that I was heading home to take a pregnancy test and felt nervous. Readers left reassuring comments, which made me tear up. Come to find out, that pregnancy test came back positive. Fast forward a couple weeks before I gave birth, and what do you know, another ‘How are you doing?’ post. I expressed how nervous I was to give birth and once again, was responded to by more loving readers wishing me well.” — Julie
“I wrote down this comment and put it on the wall above my desk. It reminds me to generously support everyone’s big and small moments because it always feels good.” — Julie
What’s your “stay for the comments” story? We would love to hear from you.
P.S. 10 of the funniest reader comments and 12 feel-good reader comments.