Today, I woke up from an afternoon nap on my 88-year-old mom’s couch to find out that while we were both napping together, she passed away peacefully next to me in her sleep. MMT

Today, her final words were, “Please take care of our three beautiful boys.” MMT

Today, I learned that a girl I know who is two years older than me is being made fun of in her high school because of the prosthetic leg she has to wear due to her battle with cancer. I was heartbroken imagining anyone mocking someone in her situation, especially someone who has been my hero for years. MMT

Today, when you listened, it was the first time in years that I felt like I mattered. You changed my mind and saved my life without saying a word. Thanks you. You MMT.

Today, I stopped questioning my decision to step down at work and take on a role that requires less of my time, when my 4-year-old son ran into my arms this afternoon and said, “I love when daddy gets home early!” MMT

Today my son died. Yesterday he was born. These two days represent the saddest and happiest days of my life, respectively. MMT

Today, during a renovation at my parent’s old house (that’s now my house), an honest worker found my mom’s engagement ring that she cried about losing when I was in the 3rd grade. MMT

Today, four months after doctors told my wife that she was a high risk pregnancy that could result in her own death, she went through with giving birth to our son, and both of them are doing just fine now. MMT

Today, my sister who has Down Syndrome scored two legitimate three-point shots in the first game of the post-season playoffs as a 2nd string small forward for her high school basketball team. MMT

Today, I have a 76-year-old student in my Intro to Computer Science course, and she’s actually quite proficient with a computer. When I asked her why she decided to enroll she said, “Last year I didn’t know a thing about computers, and since then I’ve taken nearly a dozen computer classes. Honestly, I love learning about them. I simply can’t get enough. Kinda weird finding a new passion at my age.” MMT

Today, 10 years after losing his right leg in a car accident, my brother is an avid surfer and is darn good. MMT

Today, I turned 30 and I found out that my father was in Vietnam. He never talked about it or even gave the slightest hint he was in that war. His uniform is packed in the back of his attic, and he says he's spent most of his life trying to forget all the horrors he had to endure in the war. MMT

Today, nearly a full year since my mom passed away, I went through a box of her personal effects she had with her at the hospital during her final days. The first thing that caught my attention was her journal, I opened to the final entry and read, “Life is meant to be lived and I lived it. I took risks. I have felt passion. I have discovered love many times. I feel free, blessed and at peace.” MMT

Today, when my older brother caught me procrastinating on working on my side web design business again, he said, “Shawn, lazy is normal. Do you really want to be normal for the rest of your life?” MMT

Today, I was in a public restroom with a friend at a concert hall when I looked in the mirror and said, “I hate my hair! It’s so frizzy!” Then my friend and I turned around to leave just as a teenage girl our age walked in with no hair at all wearing a shirt that said, “Die cancer! Die!” MMT

Today, on their 50th anniversary, my 87-year-old dad looked at my mom 84-year-old mom and said, “This right here – our relationship – this is my greatest accomplishment.” MMT

Today, I hydroplaned on the freeway, smashed through a guardrail into oncoming traffic, skidded backwards between two oncoming cars, went off the road on the other side, down a 25 foot hill, flipping twice and landing on the roof of the car, and I walked away without a scratch. MMT

Today, my husband and I laughed together non-stop for almost five hours straight as we reminisced about all the good times we’ve been through together in a conversation that began after my doctor looked at me and said, "The bleeding in your abdomen can’t be stopped. There’s not much more we can do for you." MMT

Today, one of my dying elderly patients begged me to stop helping her and instead use the rest of her Medicare insurance money to help her sick great granddaughter who is very ill and without medical insurance. I wish I could. MMT

Today, as I watched my oldest son graduate at the top of his class from Duke’s School of Medicine, my husband reminded me that our son’s rude 9th grade English teacher said he likely wouldn’t graduate from high school due to his speech impediment. MMT