Today, my best friend’s wife was mugged and assaulted in our home town while he was overseas fighting in Afghanistan. MMT

Today, due to shift reductions at my regular job, I work part time at an animal shelter. I primarily care for injured and abandoned domestic pets. And ever since I started working here, I’ve grown to like animals more and humanity less. MMT

Today, while I was at work I finally decided that I was going to confront him tonight and tell him that I can’t be in a relationship with an alcoholic anymore. On his way home from work he was in a fatal car accident due to drinking and driving. MMT

Today, after the accident, his parents picked up his personal effects from the coroner’s office. His mom told me his iPhone was open to a half-written text message addressed to me in response to a text message I had sent him moments before the accident. MMT

Today, as he scraped the ice off of his windshield, I stood on the front porch watching his breath merge with the cold air and the early morning sun. But I had no clue those would be the final moments of his life. MMT

Today, I’ve been deployed in Iraq for almost 2 full years. My best friend, a fellow soldier, died a year and a half ago. Ever since then, every time my unit takes on gunfire I hope one of the bullets hits me square between the eyes. But somehow it just keeps happening to those around me. MMT

Today, the art teacher that helped me rise above my depression by showing me how to channel my feelings into my digital designs, which in turn earned me a full-ride art scholarship, has been fired from my school due to budget cuts. According to the school board, art is no longer considered a vital subject in our school system. MMT

Today, he got in a car accident on the way to the hospital to watch his wife give birth to their first child. He died at the scene. MMT

Today, at a neighborhood BBQ my neighbor’s son - a 25 year old Marine – dropped to the floor and started crying when one of the other guests lit off a round of firecrackers. MMT

Today, my mom went to the doctor’s office at 8AM for a general physical exam and left at 4PM with and appointment for chemotherapy. MMT

Today, her suicide note said, “Please take care of our daughters.” MMT

Today, my neighbor who has had a 15 foot flagpole proudly displaying the American flag in his backyard for the last five years was deported back to Cuba. MMT

Today, my whole life changed when the doctor walked into the waiting area, looked at me and my son and said, “I’m sorry. She didn’t make it.” MMT

Today, after listening to only three songs, I turned off my iPod again. Since he died, I haven’t been able to listen to my music collection without crying. MMT

Today, as I walked away from the airport gate alone with my head held high and eyes beet red from crying, I knew at that moment what it meant to be a military wife. MMT

Today, I heard one of my friends tell his little brother that he hated him. I told my little sister the same thing all the time before she was hit by a car two years ago and died. MMT

Today, my daughter is mourning her husband. Her heart is breaking because the man who came back from Afghanistan is not the same man she knew and loved during their 13 year marriage. PTSD has killed her lover and best friend, but his body rages on. MMT

Today, I'm driving my mother to the airport to be deported back to Mexico. MMT

Today, my brother came back from Iraq with one leg. MMT

Today, she hung herself with the scarf I gave her last week for her 18th birthday. MMT