Mom of 3 shares the unexpected words from a stranger that brought her to tears

Motherhood is a wild, beautiful, and sometimes frustrating ride, and, like many moms, I’ve gotten my share of unsolicited commentary. For some reason, it seems the world loves to stop moms and tell us just how “full our hands must be,” as if we didn’t already know.

But sometimes, a stranger’s unexpected words can reframe our entire perspective, just like they did for Steph Morrison. On TikTok, Steph (@stephmorrison) shared how she was out for a walk with her baby when she was approached by an older gentleman. But instead of the usual “You’ve got your hands full!” remark, he left her almost speechless.when he simply said, “Wow… You’re going to have a lot of fun.” Such a small comment, but it held a powerful message: he saw the joy in this season, not just the “chaos.”

 I can almost feel the relief she must’ve felt hearing that—finally, a voice that chose to recognize the fun in the mess, the magic in the challenge. The kind of comment that says, “Yes, it’s a lot, but it’s also incredible.”

For Steph, and for so many of us, this moment was a reminder of the beauty woven into the challenges of motherhood. Steph summed it up perfectly: “It’s the right vibe and energy to bring to motherhood.” Steph’s reaction struck a chord, not just with me but with over 800,000 others who viewed the video. Why? Because it’s a rare affirmation in a world that often seems to remind us of the struggles more than the joys.

As a first-time mom, I know motherhood isn’t easy. But it’s these moments—the laughter, the spontaneous “I love you”s from our kids—that make it all worthwhile. These are the moments I want to cherish, the ones that keep me going when times get hard. A small encouragement from a stranger can feel like a true gift.

And for once, I actually want to live in this comment section.

An older man in the grocery store stopped me when my son was 8 months old and said “young enough to still talk to the angels, put in a good word for me!” – Rachel Stelzer

The way I burst into tears hearing that 💛 – JDubs

As an overstimulated single momma of two, thank you for shifting my perspective. 🥺- Karen

My only son is 7 months. I can’t have anymore kids due to life threatening complications at birth. The other day a man said to me “he gets to have you all to himself, isn’t that so special?” I cried. – happyy_gilmoree

Comments like these remind me that, yes, motherhood is hard, but it’s also something I wouldn’t trade for the world. It’s a choice I feel honored to make, and I’m determined to carry this “right vibe” with me as my kids grow up. As Steph said, that’s the energy I want to bring to motherhood—a sense of wonder, of fun, of truly being present. Because if we’re going to do this, why not find as much joy in it as we can?