Today, my dad sells pot legally to medical dispensaries to make ends meet after California budget cuts reduced his teacher’s salary by 25% last year. MMT

Today, when my 5-year-old daughter asked me why a homeless man sitting near us looked the way he did, I explained to her what being homeless actually meant – no shelter, family, money to buy food, etc. My daughter began crying, and through her tears she said, “Well please give him food daddy, I don’t want him to starve to death.” MMT

Today, 20 years after my brother’s death in high school, the boy who received his heart in an emergency transplant is now my sister’s husband of 15 years. They met because of the donor arrangement. MMT

Today, the guy who used to bully me in high school is my next-door neighbor and one of my closest friends. On the flipside, my best friend from high school had an affair with my ex-wife 10 years ago, he was remorselessly unapologetic, and we haven’t spoken since. MMT

Today, I am missing small pieces of both of my ears. My right one is scarred at the top and my left one is scarred near the bottom. I got these scars when I was at war in Iraq 4 years ago. As bullets flew in every imaginable direction, and fellow soldiers were falling down around me, I escaped with two little scars from bullets grazing both my ears. MMT

Today, my high school bully is my secretary. I hired her last week after she begged me for a job for nearly 6 months straight, after spending one full year on unemployment. MMT

Today, as I'm sitting in my office chair I now realize that the person I once was isn't half of the person I am now. Looking through his FB pictures I have realized my ex is happy with another woman, while I'm here waiting for my boyfriend to come home, not knowing if things will work or if it's best for me to get up and move on. I love him more than he knows and more than he shows. I just don't want to lose him like I lost the love of my life long ago. MMT

Today I told my boyfriend I might be pregnant. I am 18 years old and still mentally recovering from my first abortion a month ago. I am in this position because even though I told him he had to, he didn't wear a condom. This time, I will not kill hurt baby. This time, I will not be pressured into making a decision I don't want to make. MMT

Today, I have been going to counseling a couple months now. Today was the first day that I finally believed I deserve better than you ever treated me. What matters is how I feel and live my life and I can't keep letting you make me feel guilty about letting you go. MMT

Today, my motel room in the Congo was burglarized while I was out on mission duty. What stood out to me the most though… other than a few miscellaneous items, the only thing they stole was about $70 dollars worth of groceries I had purchased last night. MMT

Today, after raising her three younger siblings for the last year all by herself, while her single mom abused drugs and alcohol, my niece told me she forgets what it’s like to be a kid. She’s 16 years old. And as of this evening, I am the legal guardian of my sister’s four children. MMT

Today, my 8-year-old brother came into the living room crying as my parents and I screamed at each other again, and said, "I wish you all loved each other as much as I love you." MMT

Today, as I sit here in the homeless shelter, slowly pulling my life together (I start a job working at a grocery store tomorrow), my greatest fear is that my unborn child will be raised in an unfit environment. But two weeks ago when I stared down at the adoption paperwork, I couldn’t let go and bring myself to sign it. MMT

Today, as I sat there staring at the loaded handgun in my hand, my 8-year-old son called me three times in a row from his father’s house. I picked up the phone on his third call and he said, “Mommy, I’m super excited to see you tomorrow!” MMT

Today, I work for a charity in greater San Diego near the border. I was finalizing the books for last year’s taxes when I realized that the largest sum of cash donations we received came from two men who have been in the local news recently as being suspected leaders in a drug trafficking operation. MMT

Today, when I told him, “There’s so much uncertainty going forward. I don’t know what to do.” He looked at me and said, “I don’t have an answer for you, just a question. In your mind, when did the future suddenly switch from being a promise to being a threat?” MMT

Today, I celebrated his life on the 20th anniversary of the night he saved my life. I knew him for less than a few seconds when he tussled with the kidnapper who pulled a gun on me in Mexico City. He was shot in the process and died a few hours later, but he will always be my hero. Every night just before I fall asleep, I think about him, and I can still see his face. MMT

Today, my son, who has his Masters Degree in computer engineering, is the Vice President of my daughter’s successful web design company that she started right out of high school. MMT

Today, 274 days after our son was conceived, and 273 days since your passing, I gave birth to our healthy baby boy. MMT

Today, in what would be his final coherent moments alive, and without any further explanation, my dad looked at me and said, “I’m glad you were braver than me. I’m glad you came out, honestly. I was never able to. I hope I at least did right by your mom and you.” MMT