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'My dog was diagnosed with congestive heart failure. He hung on for 9 months. We eventually had to put him to sleep.'

'It was such a sad time. We had to put him to sleep right before my daughters high school graduation. We had company coming in to town for graduation. After the dog passed away we were all so sad and did not have a lot of energy to get the house ready for company. The dog was my best friend. He was so sweet and kind and loving. He followed me everywhere. He loved to cuddle with me on the couch and put his head on the backs of my knees. It was such a soothing experience being cuddled up like that with him. When we discovered he was dying we found a puppy from a little girl on craigslist. She could not take care of the puppy and happily sold him to us. The puppy was great for the dying dog. It gave the dog a purpose and something to focus on, training the new guy. At first the puppy looked at us in shock, as if to say, "Rules??? I don\'t do rules!" He quickly came around when he discovered there were treats to be earned by following the rules. I am glad we got a puppy as the older dog was dying. He made life a little more enjoyable after the old dog passed away. I still miss the old dog. I hope when I get to heaven that he comes running to greet me!'

"My daughter's first day away from home. My family and I drove her to her new school. We stopped at a Chinese restaurant and had lunch together after dropping her stuff off in her new apartment."

"I had been a housewife for 18 years until my daughter went off to college. She left about 12 months ago and it was hard for me. This was her actual first day away from home. I had sheltered her for so long. Then the day finally came where she became an adult. I tried to talk her into staying home during her first year of college but she wanted freedom. I understood because I was the same way when I moved away from home. She is my only child so I felt lonely when she left. I talk to her everyday but life hasn't been the same. Maybe if she was closer to home I would feel better. After the semester ended, I thought she would come back home, but she decided to stay. She said that was her home now. The bright side is that I had one last lunch with her at a Chinese restaurant that was near her apartment. I told her how proud I was and how much I was going to miss her. Although this has been hard for me, I know she is becoming a young woman. The first day was just the hardest."

"My family and I went on a trip to Korea. It was the best vacation I've ever had. We learned about each other and made memories that I will never forget."

"My family went to Korea this past summer, and it was an amazing experience. My dad was born and raised in that country, and had not been back in quite some time. It was the first time I had been since I was a little kid. We visited the house he was born in. We met family that still live in the country. We ate a lot of good food. Some of it was spicy!! I really enjoyed staying with relatives. I don't speak the language well, but it was good to practice. My relatives were very patient. We visitied a lot of different places. Since they live there, we were able to visit places off the beaten path. We didn't just go to the touristy places. We enjoyed the nightlife of Seoul. I wish I could live there. It is very expensive though. I could never afford to live there."

"My daughter's pet with whom she lived more than 10 years ago has died a few days ago, it was an event that hurt us all, the veterinarian said he died because of the age since these animals live only 12 years and he was When we were 11 years old with us."

"My daughter is a very special person to me. She means the world to me and will do anything for me. About ten years ago I bought her this cute little dog. At first the dog was barking and annoying. She would bring this dog everywhere with us. Through the years the dog got slower and older. We eventually stoped taking him everywhere we went. About a week ago the dog got sick. We tryed everything we could do to help him .Unfortunately the dog has passed away due to the sickness. After ten years of haveing this dog, we all suffered a huge loss. My daughter took it the hardest. She has been laying in bed since. I am trying to comfort her the best I can. I don't know of much more I could do. I hope that she feels better soon."

'I came back to the United States from Bali for the birth of my first grandchild. I got a text message when I arrived at the airport informing me that the baby was born. I felt happy to know that my granddaughter was healthy considering that she was born earlier than expected.'

"Today my granddaughter turned 4 months old. It was a small but important milestone for me. We celebrated by having pizza over at my daughters house. I know it seems silly to celebrate every month but we are all still so happy she is here and healthy. I remember 4 months ago like it was yesterday. I was in Bali enjoying a vacation with my friends when I got a call from my son in law. My daughter had gone into labor very unexpectedly. She was only 28 weeks pregnant and something had caused her to go into pre-term labor. I don't remember how I did it but I managed to get to the airport and on a plane within a few hours. The flight was long and I had no cell phone service the entire way, I have never been so scared in my entire life. Once I landed and turned my cell phone on I had probably 30 text messages and missed calls, the baby had been born. She was healthy! I don't think I'd ever felt such relief in my entire life. I will always remember that day and how close I felt to possibly losing my little granddaughter. I guess that is why I want to celebrate every tiny milestone she reaches. 4 months ago we really thought we might never be celebrating any birthdays, and so even the monthly ones are important."

'This is a story about my recent cancer diagnosis. It is about my plan to fight and win the battle against this deadly disease.'

"Two weeks ago I went into the doctor's office to get some results. My heart was racing and pounding, and I feared for the worst and I could not even pretend that I was hoping for the best. I had not been feeling well for awhile now. I could tell by the doctor's composure that I should expect bad news. He calmly explained with a cold detachment that I had cancer. Yet, he tried to convey that I was lucky. The cancer had been caught soon and we could treat it aggressively. Survival rates were high and remission was very probable. If this was lucky, I am fairly sure I did not want a part of it. I knew I didn't feel lucky. I had seen friends and loved ones suffer from cancer and now it was my turn;. I am the next contestant on the Price is Right. I took a moment to gather my thoughts and catch my breathe. Okay, Doc, I have cancer, and I want to fight it aggressively, and we are fighting to win. I do not want any half-assed measures and I do not want slow and steady wins the race mentality. The docotr looked at me preplexed. I guess he thought I was in shock or something and trying to put on a brave front. But, that really was not what it was. I knew I was sick. I knew something was wrong. He just confirmed it. Was it my worse fear, sure, but, I had been planning on bad news for a couple of weeks now. Waiting for all the diagnostic testing results to come in and the results of the biospy was the hard part. Going through chemo and radiation and maybe a surgery seemed like child's play compared to the hell my own mind put me through while I waited. Before I saw the doctor this morning I had a good cry, and as I was getting ready to leave ot see the doctor, I looked into the mirror and I told the Grim Ripper not today. So, maybe it was a bit of bravado and maybe I was putting on a bit of an act, but I do not attend to quit and I sure as hell do not intend to die."

"Went to a close family members wedding. It was a beautiful day and everything worked out perfectly. I ended up feeling closer to family by the end of the night, and can't wait to get married myself."

"3 months ago, I went to my cousin's wedding. She asked me to be a bridesmaid and I was honored to be asked. I got to the wedding venue early in the morning. My cousin, the other bridesmaids and I had breakfast and mimosas. Then we started getting ready. My cousin had a makeup artist do her makeup, but the rest of us just did our own. We all got our hair done by a stylist. We ordered in and ate lunch while we finished getting ready. After that, we took pictures with the photographer. Soon after, it was time for the wedding to start. The ceremony was beautiful and their vows to each other were very moving. After the ceremony, it was time for the reception. First dinner was served and a few people got up to give speeches. After the dinner portion was over, it was time to party. We all had a great time dancing and having fun. Overall, it was a beautiful wedding and I felt closer to my cousin and other family members because of it."

'I endured a nasty deposition by four lawyers. They were even more unreasonable and vicious than expected. It started with a pre-dawn bus trip in an ice storm and ended with my throwing up through most of the return bus trip at the end of the day.'

'Five months ago I had to go to a deposition. It was in the next town and I do not own a car so I had to take a very early bus. There was a bad ice storm that day and it took a lot longer than I expected to get there. Since I was running late I did not have time to get anything to eat before the deposition. During the deposition I was asked a lot of questions about my memory of the events (which I do not want to get into too much detail) and they continually made me feel like a liar and incompetant. They kept on implying that I was a bad person and it was a big pain in the ass. Afterwords I had to catch another bus back and only had time to get a hot dog from a street vendor. It must have been a bad one because on the ride back I was throwing up the whole way. Luckily a kind person in the next seat helped me and gave me water and some baby wipes to clean up with. It was a horrible experience overall but could have been even worse without the kindness of that man. I have developed a hatred for busses. I no longer feel so great about hot dogs either. MY advice to others would be to not trust street food, especially if you are already stressed out. The stomach can do nasty things to you if it is not treated well. Hopefully I will never go through that again.'

'I got fajitas. The waiter almost tripped with the fajitas but the meal was good and I had a good day.'

"Last week, I went to a restaurant. I had a good time in the restaurant. I started out with a big cola. It was very delicious. I then got some queso to eat. It was pretty good. I then ordered some fajitas. They were beef fajitas. The waiter almost tripped with the fajitas. That would of been disastrous. Gladly, he didn't drop the fajitas. The fajitas turned out decent. They were a little chewy. I got the bill. It was a little pricey. I gave the waiter a decent sized tip of the tragedy that almost fell both of us with the fajitas. I gave a big smile to the waiter after giving the tip. I walked out with some sweat on my forehead."

'I found a job after being stressed and depressed for months. I also found some tools to use in order to cope with my stress and when I am depressed.'

"About two months ago, I did not have a job because I had just graduated. I was used to working part-time jobs, and was not making that much. At the time, I was very depressed and stressed about my financial situation because I was in debt, broke, and had over $200,000 worth of student loans. I was at the end of my road because I was waking up extremely sad every day and I felt like I had nothing to live for. I was discouraged because I had been applying for jobs for months prior to graduating but everyone said i was applying too early and that I needed more experience. The longer I was unemployed the more depressed I had gotten. At this point, I was losing so much weight I was down to about 90 pounds and my appetite was pretty much non-existent. I decided that I needed to do something because I felt myself going to a very dark place that was scary to think about and I felt like I was going to end up doing something irrational that I would regret. I needed help but didn't want to ask anyone for help. I decided that I needed to get up and get my life together. One particular morning I woke up and applied to at least 30 jobs in one day. I was determined to find a job because I knew that would solve at least some of my problems. It would provide me with a stable full-time salary so I would be able to take care of some of my debt and other financial obligations. The next day, I decided that I needed to talk to someone, so I called a help hotline. I was on the phone with a specialist for about an hour and a half and she was able to help me feel better. The specialist boosted my confidence and gave me some tools that I could use next time I was feeling depressed or stressed. About a week later, I got called for an interview that I was really interested in. I ended up getting hired the same day, right after my interview which was really exciting and motivated me to do better."

'I was overworked and it was showing. I took off for the Fourth of July intending to just sit on my couch. I ended up going to the beach.'

"By the middle of June I was really beginning to burn out. I'd been working 50-55 hour weeks for the last three months. It was my fault too. I kept asking for more responsibility. I like the work; there just ended up being too much of it. I saw the Fourth of July coming up and had every intention of sleeping right through it. I was going to spend four days on my couch doing absolutely nothing. My buddy wouldn't let that happen. His family has a house on the beach and he insisted that I go with him. He knew how stressed I was. It was just what I needed. I essentially did what I planned to do at home. I slept a lot. I drank beer. I ate too much. But I did it surrounded by friends and on the beach. I returned to work recharged and ready for more."

'The first day of school for a 10 year old boy and girl in the morning. THe fears and the feelings of a boy and girl, both starting out on their own.'

'Journal entry 115: 3 months ago, when my sister and I started at the new school, I was very afraid. I did not want to separate from my sister. Now, I am captain of the soccer team! It took hard work and a lot of running. My sister is the head journalist of our school. I wonder whats for dinner? I am very much excited, its like biting into my favorite pie! Couch say I have a bright future in soccer and to keep up the good work. I remember asking my sister about how she felt about her first day. She says that it was rough and after she stood up to her bully everything was better. Poor, poor, Andrew.. He never saw it coming. After Mom and Dad broke up; Mom sent us to Muy Thai classes. You know the rest. The has been Journal Entry 115. Captain Skateboard signing off.'

'Helping parents that have had children removed overcome drug addiction, gain employment and better their lives..'

'I work as a child avocatein the court system. I represent children in the foster care system. I had a very difficult case last year, where the parents were addicted to heroine. They ad three children of various ages. Te parents were getting ready to have their rights terminated because they had been cheating on drug tests. The DCS caseworker had been covering it up for them. After a great deal of research I was able to locate evidence of the parents ongoing drug abuse. I worked closely wit them building rapport. They greed to go to in patient treatment were they were hospitalized for 4 months. Afterwards, they went to outpatient treatment. Today, they are clean and sober. I referred them to job placement services. They ave cleaned up their apartment and repainted it. They go on job interviews and are taking care of health issues. They came to me in tears aying tat they thank God I was put into their life and are grateful to me for helping them. Next month, they resume unsupervised visits wit their children for the first time in a year.'

'Finding out I have diabetes was scary for me. I lost my sister to this disease. I am determined to control my diabetes and not let it control me. I will be a good mom and live a long life.'

"Dear Diary, I found out I am a diabetic recently. Type 2 and It scared me because my sister died from diabete . Everything in my life has changed since that day. I feel different, not like myself. I'm more cautious about everything , not just my health. I wanted to have another child one day, but now I don't think I should. What if something happens to me and my children are without a mother? I'm scared and confident at the same time that I will fight this and get better. I have to , my children need their mom. I refuse to let this disease take over my life. It took my sister , but it wont take me. I cried about this the first few nights. My daughter asked me whats wrong mom? I told her I was ill but I am going to be fine. she comforted me and I knew I am going to be fine. I love my children and I love my life with them."

'We got married in the presence of our family and friends. It was the beginning of wonderful things in our lives and we look forward to it.'

"About 3 months ago I got married. It was a beautiful spring day, the sun was shining but it wasn't too hot. I slept okay - I could've done with another hour or two. I think I was restless and anxious during the night. Nothing bad, just kind of... itching to get on with it. Nervous excitement. I tried to relax while getting ready, taking my time to drink a bit of coffee and just enjoy the day. Only people I loved and cared about would be there for the whole day so there was really nothing to be nervous about, but still, you want everything to be perfect. That all went to pieces when I spilled coffee on my shirt - it was easily hidden by my jacket, thankfully, but my goodness did it surprise me how stressed out I got about it. In the grand scheme it didn't matter, but of course, it had to be the one day I spill something down myself. No-one even noticed until I pointed it out, and by that point I realized how little it mattered in the grand scheme of things. It was a perfect day, not in spite of the things that went a bit wrong, but because of it. Everyone was supportive and in good spirits. My partner and I had everything we wanted, just as we wanted it. It really felt like our day, and a celebration of us."

'This was about graduating college. It was about all the struggles and the joy once finally achieving the goal.'

"I DID IT!!!After four long years of ups and downs I finally achieved one of my dreams, graduating college. I feel a whirlwind of emotions. I'm so proud of myself for not giving up even though there was many times I wanted to. From struggling with my grades and not always getting along with my professor's, to all the social pressures of trying to fit in. College life is a hard road to follow but it's finally over and I can enjoy the feeling of relief. Although, I am somewhat saddened to know that I will be losing the closeness of some dear friends I have made along the way. My friends helped me to push through some difficult times, they were almost like my family. Especially when I started partying to much. They helped me get back on track. I will always cherish the time we had together as we all move ahead to better ourselves and find careers. It's bittersweet to think college life is over but I can't wait to find what's in store for my next journey. With a degree in my hand and one hurdle behind me, I'm ready to take on the world to achieve my happiness on a whole new level. The life I had in college has prepared me for challenges that I am ready to face. I feel blessed to have made it this far. I can't wait to start the next chapter in my life. I feel like I am prepared to take on new and bigger responsibilities now. HERE'S TO WHAT'S TO COME!!!"

"The dog that I've had for years began having some health problems with his eyes. I thought they were serious, but they turned out to be benign."

"I've had my dog for about 7 years now and he is a huge part of my life. I've watched him grow from a puppy into a senior dog. I was extremely saddened when a strange discoloration appeared on one of his eyes recently. At first, I ignored it, but after it got larger I became a bit worried. When the discoloration spread to the other eye, I got very scared and made an appointment at the vet. I took him to his regular vet who quickly referred me to a specialist in the area. She said that he thought Milo had cancer in his eyes. I was extremely worried and apprehensive when she told me this and quickly made the specialist appointment. During the week long wait before the appointment I spent as much time with Milo as possible, in case the worst were to come to pass. When the day of the appointment came I took him there and they performed a bunch of tests. They stuck weird things in his eyes, looked at them through microscopes, and did a bunch of other things that neither he nor I enjoyed. When the vet left the room to process the data she had collected, I thought for sure she would come back and say he had cancer. I waited in fear, but she was smiling when she came back in the room. It turns out he had some cholesterol deposits in eyes. They are not dangerous and don't affect his vision. She said he can live just fine with them. I felt such relief and happiness when she told me that I wanted to hug her!"

'We had a family reunion. My brother offended the waiter, unintentionally. It was only a moment but it sticks in my mind because of the nature of the offense. It was just tone, and nothing else.'

'I went to a nearby city to meet up with family members for a very memorable family reunion. There were about 12 of us in all. We went out to dinner at a very nice Chinese restaurant. My brother, who is a math professor, is very precise in his language. He requires precision from everyone around him. He started asking a lot of questions about the food options. The waiter became offended, even though there was nothing offensive about the questions. But the waiter didn\'t like my brother\'s tone of voice. At one point he stepped back and said "I don\'t need to be talked to like that." It was kind of sad. I realized that my brother has no idea how he comes off when he\'s in professorial mode. My brother ended up getting something he didn\'t really love, because he felt bad about what happened, and had decided to stop asking questions. In the end, the food was good, the company was good, the moment was forgotten, and the waiter got a pretty nice tip. And it was good to see my brother. We had an excellent rest of the reunion. I\'m probably the only one who still recalls the moment.'

'Me and my girlfriend got into a fight, which turned into another fight which cemented themselves as a narcissist. It was resolved but I remain ambivalent.'

"My girlfriend got angry at me because I didn't respond to a message she sent fast enough. She proceeded to spam me on several accounts. Rather than dignifying her behavior with a response, I ignored her. The following day she got angry at me for acting differently towards her. The most significant and telling part of this entire ordeal was who she chose to attribute the blame to. She blamed me for not responding to their manipulative behavior. Then blamed me for making her feel bad the next day. Annoyed, I readily pointed this out. I told her that in all their pestering yesterday and angry rambling today she didn't once consider how I might feel. Surprisingly this took her aback. She apologized and started to reign in their behavior when it became apparent she was wrong. In the end what could have been a worse day wasn't.Since then she has been trying her best to stay calm. She has had her moments, but she has managed to regain her composure. I can see that she is trying her best."

'A long overdue manuscript was accepted for publication and all the hard work paid off. All the authors went out for a celebration and we had a great time.'

"I have been a writer for about ten years. This was my dream since the age of 8. I feel like I'm a natural at this. I have such a great imagination. I have learned a few things through these years. I have been rejected more than once. I have been told to give up because I would never go anywhere. I say don't give up! About four monthes ago my manuscript was finally acceped for publication. I worked very hard for this and never gave up. This was long overdue. We were all very excited when it was accepted. We went out to celebrate with some dinner and drinks. We had a great time and a great celebration. Overall my advice to you is to never give up on you dream."

'I had to let my sick 14 year old Chihuahua Petey to the vets to be euthanized on June 13th, 2019 because he was very sick and weak. He was my best friend and had helped me through many hard times.'

"Petey is still on my mind daily. It is so hard to let go of a dog that you love with all your heart. Petey was exceptional as a pet. He was my best friend for so many years. Daily I see reminders of him in my house, on the internet and when I am out and about. I pass an exit where I used to get his medicine, and his image comes to my mind. I see his picture on the pillow in my bedroom, and I try to imagine what it felt like to touch his fur and scratch his belly. Although he died more than 4 months ago, to me it feels like it happened yesterday. The hardest part for me has been to realize that I will never see my Petey Pea again. I would give up so much just to hold him one more time or be able to spend one more day with him. Since Petey's passing I have adopted another dog. Although I wanted another Chihuahua, I realized that getting the same breed would make comparisons to Petey almost impossible not to do. Instead I got a female JackChi. She has helped fill the hole in my heart that Petey left. I am bonding with her and realize that she is what I needed. She was a rescue dog, and I believe that she needed me too."

'I went to Punta Cana for my 10 year anniversary. I went snorkeling for the first time. We were a little concerned about news stories coming out while we were there, but it ended up being totally fine.'

'I went to Punta Cana in June 2019. I went with my husband for our 10 year anniversary. It was the first time we had ever visited the country. Leading up to the trip, there was news breaking about tourists dying and getting sick. The news continued into our visit. We were a little concerned by it and it was hard to stop thinking about it. Ultimately we were just fine though. We went snorkeling for the first time and had a wonderful time. The people were so friendly and the beaches were beautiful. We became very friendly with a few of the employees and were sad to leave. We would totally go back some day. The food was great and it was very relaxing. The tourist deaths have dropped of the the media. It seems like it was just sensationalized by the media. It was concerning at the time though.'

"My wife and I had our 18th anniversary. We went out for a romantic dinner then came back to our house to have drinks and enjoy each other's company."

"My wife and I had our 18th anniversary. We went out for a romantic dinner at our favorite restaurant then came back to our house to have drinks and spend time with each other. This one was special because we hit 18 years, and they weren't all easy, but we always stuck by each other's side. This was something that we were both looking forward to for weeks, mainly due to our busy schedules. My wife and I both work full time, plus we have 3 kids, 2 who play multiple sports. With all of this going on we never get date nights, even though we talk about them. We never have time to get away and just have alone time. We got to the restaurant, sat down, and put in our drink order. We were instantly transformed back to the kids we were when we first fell in love. I starred into my wife eyes and tried to say things to make her smile. I love making my wife laugh, we sat there making each other giggle and reminiscing until our food came. Afterwards we stayed a bit longer after paying the check, then went home a had a few more drinks, hanging out and laughing. We get very few date nights and I always look forward to them. Our anniversary is definitely something that can't get put off, so it's a time when no matter what comes up we make time for each other. We made a goal to not make these nights wait for our once a year date, we need to take time for ourselves and our relationship more frequently."

'I had a birthday party that my friends and family organized. I knew something was up when a few of my friends texted me within a short time span. Although I was a bit tired from work, I still had a good time.'

'I was at work when I received a flurry of texts from my family and friends. My mother rarely texts me, so I knew something was up. My birthday was next weekend and I had planned with my partner to have a quiet day. But this morning he was acting strangely. He acted like he had some kind of secret that he was dying to tell me but and was struggling to restrain himself. He\'s never been good at keeping a secret. After receiving so many out of the ordinary texts, I suspected maybe I was in for a surprise party. While I do love a good surprise, I don\'t want to look a mess. I can look quite the fright after a day at work. My mother, who is in many ways my twin, realizes this, which is probably why she texted me. She didn\'t reveal anything specific but by simply texting me, I knew something was up. I decided to cut out of work a bit early and hit Nordstrom\'s before I went home. If there really were a bunch of people at my house waiting to yell "Surprise!" at me, I wanted to look good. I found a cute dress which I wore out of the store. I reapplied my makeup while in the parking lot. When I opened the door to my house at least 30 people jumped out at me. Balloons were releases and party horns were blown. My mother came up and gave me a hug. "New dress huh?" she asked smiling at me. "Yep" I replied, "thanks for the heads up." She smiled knowingly at me and handed me a glass of champagne. I love surprises but I also like to be prepared for them.'

'When I came from work I found my pet dog missing.I felt astonished,since he was so close to me.I tried to search for it everywhere I thought there would be a possibility for it to be there,but never found it.Luckily later Molly came back and I felt so happy and relieved.'

"It was a early morning and I was doing my normal routine. My normal routine of eating breakfast and then taking my dog out for a walk. My dog Molly seemed really tired. She is usually in a very good mood but for some reason she seemed off today. Anyways, I did not make a big deal out of it. I come home after the walk, and start getting for ready to work. I was running late. I couldn't keep the patients waiting. I say bye to my dog and head out. My day at work was busy. I come home around 3 pm. I call out for Molly but she wasn't there. I must have left the door open. I start freaking out and worrying. I went around walking looking for her but she wasn't there. Thankfully she came back home to me."

"I went to a Bad Religion concert a few weeks ago and interacted with the crowd and band in a very meaningful way.It's been a feeling that I've been chasing for a long time and something I look forward to feeling again."

"A few weeks ago I got to see one of my very favorite bands live in concert. They are an older band (from the 80s) and every time they tour, they never quite make it to my area, so I was quite excited to see them! Unfortunately, I had to go alone, so the build-up to the show was kind of dull/anxiety laced, as I had no one to talk to until they played the show. I was a bit irritated since initially my boyfriend said he would go with me, but ultimately admitted that he didn't want to go due to not really enjoying the kind of music this band plays. I was frustrated because while I didn't want him to go and have a bad time, I also didn't want to be completely alone in a room where everyone has someone else to talk to and be with. I tried my best to get over the feeling of being notable alone as I made my way to the event and stepped inside. As I try to do when I really like a band, I finagled my way as close as I could to the front of the stage, where I eventually got to the very front and held on to the barricade for dear life! The crowd all pushed forward and I watched so many grown adults like myself get way too close to one another, sweating and spewing out face paced lyrics like we wrote them ourselves. It was such a happy experience for me, the connection of strangers through music that we all really love. The bad interacted with the crowd as well and that is always a great thing to be a part of! By the end of the concert, I was very sweaty, dehydrated, my makeup was smeared and my hair was highly questionable. I felt similar to how I felt so long ago as a teenager...Alive, a part of something. Together with others, unified by something greater than us as individuals. A sort of familiarity despite not actually knowing one another. As someone who grew up in a broken home, this kind of feeling is very rare and highly sought after."

'I had a wonderful, unexpected meeting with an art gallerist which has brought me a new friendship. My sister wants to do look at and purchase a painting by one of his top artists. I will continue to visit weekly.'

"I had met Mr. C. P. a few times just gallery-hopping in Chelsea. This area of galleries is fairly near me, but sometimes feels like a longish walk. I routinely go there every few months, but from March to July of this year, I went 3-4 times a week, and saw some 200 shows. At Mr. P's gallery, where he is now a partner, I discovered some wonderful painters. I became very friendly with Mr. P.I had also noticed some more abstract paintings by the painter S. C. Mr. P. emailed me some images of Mr. C's available paintings, which I emailed to my sister in Georgia. She liked them very much and said she was definitely interested in possibly purchasing one. However, she would not commit to buying one of these until she came to New York and saw it in the gallery itself. Mr. P. said he could take her, or have an assistant take her, to Mr. C's studio in Jersey City, just across the river. I told him that might be just after the new year, but that I'd have to get back to him on that. It turns out that it cannot be that soon, if ever, because of health problems her husband has. It's not impossible, because the cardiac treatment has seemed to work thus far."

'We played in a gaming tournament a couple months ago and it had a disappointed ending. We had a good record for the season but exited the tournament earlier than expected during the playoffs.'

"Four months ago, my friends and I played in a gaming tournament. It's a popular fighting game called Super Smash Brothers. Personally, I main Pikachu, since Pokemon Yellow was my first video game. Every weekend I would get together with friends, and we would practice against each other. We'd play matches with a set amount of lives, and practice our frame perfect movement. I got really good at Pikachu, and was quickly able to do a number on my friends. I we were going to rock this season. For the majority of the season, we did really well. We placed in first place at multiple tournaments, which qualified us for the playoffs! We were really excited, since all of our hard work was paying off. Though, when we got to the playoffs, we got outmatched. Many more experienced teams kicked our butts. They played the characters super well, and has perfected their combos. Sadly, we got booted out of the tournament early, but we learned a ton. We're motivated to keep trying, and keep improving our game. We're confident we can compete at the playoffs again next season!"

'I have been going through a divorce for almost a year. My ex was court ordered to make my car payment. He failed to do so and my car was repossessed.'

"I continue to be going through a divorce. Previously I discussed how my ex spouse was court ordered to make my car payment. He didn't and my car was repossessed. We later went to court because he was in contempt/ violation of the court order. He basically got a slap on the hand. Fast forward to today. He continues to be responsible for the same bills, minus that specific car payment and now had to make a car payment on another car. He has failed to make any kind of payment in the last 3 months, not even child support. The divorce has taken over a year to finalize. I don't see an end in site. His attorney recently requested to be dismissed from his case. I guess my ex thinks he is above the law. We will see if he gets a slap on the hand this time. He is of course, in contempt again. We will have a trial scheduled."

"I felt a sharp pain in my back and had to go to the emergency room. I was so sad when the nurse said the doctor was talking to the radiologist, but was relieved when it wasn't as serious as I thought."

"A week ago, I was having pain in my back. I thought it was just normal wear and tear until the pain got worse in the afternoon. It was so sharp and felt like something was squeezing on my insides. It no longer seemed like it was routine back pain so I decided to go to the emergency room. It took forever for someone to see me, and I was worried because the pain continued. A nurse came in to see me, asked what my symptoms were, and then told me I would need to undergo some tests. I waited some more hours before the big scanning machine was available. The scan was painless, and after I was done, I went to use the bathroom since I was told the doctor would come talk to me soon. I immediately felt the pain disappear after using the bathroom. When I was waiting for the doctor, a nurse came in the room and told me the doctor would be in shortly, she was just on the phone with the radiologist. I immediately felt panic set in. Why would she be talking to a radiologist? I thought the worst and believed that I must have had something very seriously wrong with me. I started to think of all of the things I was going to miss out in life, and felt extremely sad and hopeless. When the doctor arrived, she didn't have a gloomy expression on her face, so I felt hopeful. She said that I had kidney stones. I immediately felt better, even though kidney stones are serious. I didn't know that radiologists look over all the scans the machine does. I thought they only got involved if it was a very serious disease. I told her that I felt better after using the bathroom, and she said that it was possible I already passed the kidney stone. Just to be sure, she gave me medications to shrink any stones and to help heal quicker. I was so relieved after that. I felt like I had a new lease on life, and decided to commit myself to eating healthier and drinking much more water."

'I was with my daughter watching her play. I ended up seeing a girl get hit by a car. I tried to help her after.'

"I have a young daughter. She is so beautiful and she means the world to me. We like to play in front of our house often. One day I was out in the yard watching her play. She was jumping rope and having a good time. She didn't have a care in the world. It was just a normal day. The next thing I knew I heard a loud bang down the street. A little girl had just been hit by a vehicle. I was terrified. I ran down the street as fast as I could. I ran over to her to check on her. She was bleeding. I called emergency services on my phone. I told them what was happening and they needed to hurry about as fast as they could. They got their and took the girl off to the hospital."

"Some harassed a person with a disability. Something needs to be done. We can't let this happen. Assholes are ruling the world."

'Last week a friend of mine called me and said an incident happened at the F.R.A. hall. One of the residents of the halfway house he manages was harassed by an individual about bringing a service dog to the F.R.A. . This was terrible because he is one of the most vulnerable people in our fellowship and was made to feel less than and unwelcome. A then was given a statement by the person with the dog that went into great detail about the event. He had to leave because he was made to feel very, very uncomfortable. I told the manager that I would follow through. I realized the seriousness of the event. When my manager talked to the person doing the harassment , he minimized the encounter. He seems to have no idea of the wrong he committed. I was angry and at first wanted to sue. It was an open and shut case. There was nothing done right. t was disgusting. It was terrible and it was unlawful.'

'I woke up generally depressed, twice before I actually needed to. When I went to lunch, I found mold on some of the breads there. I have had a rather depressing / sad day.'

"Today, I woke up kinda sad. I had had a bad dream, where despite being across the country, and otherwise completely out of my life, Emma broke up with me a second time. It's really been draining me today, the depression. The lack of sleep from that pointless dream doesn't help, and neither does finding mold on my blueberry English muffin from the cafeteria. I ranted about it a bit to the workers, detailing how I told them about it last week. It really upset me, as mold is very much a dangerous thing to ingest. Finding the mold for the first time was just disconcerting, but finding it again less than a week later is just downright disgusting, how little do you have to care as a provider to possibly kill someone? Slowly, I feel more and more like my past regrets and overall despair are beginning to catch up to me, and beginning to tie me down. It really almost feels hellish, and a deep guilt builds up on top of me. Honestly, in relation to the mold event, it caused me to lash out a bit. I kinda wanted to start throwing the bread from the drawer onto the ground, calling out to all the people in the cafeteria to inform them. I think I may just do that if I see it again. I feel bad because it seems heavily childish. Given the amount I am spending for food service though, I don't see it as unreasonable. Hell, I'd do it at a restaurant even. It's not that I don't feel bad or lack empathy for the workers, but that sort of thing simply CANNOT fly."

"My partner surprised me with tickets to a concert given by my very favorite artist, whose music is very important to me. The show was intimate and solo, performed in a small old church. The experience was the very best concert I've ever been to, and an almost indescribable experience."

'About one week ago, my husband and I had our 10 year anniversary. He always surprises me with nice gifts on our anniversary so I was eager to see what he got me to celebrate a whole decade together. During dinner, he handed me a cute anniversary card. When I opened it up, I found tickets for my favorite artist. This artist is important to me because my grandfather would always listen to this artist when I was younger, and sing me their songs. The concert was to be held later that night. After dinner, we drove to the concert which was in a small old church. There were less than thirty twenty five people in the audience which made me feel like I had a lot of alone time with my husband. At one point, the artist came from down the stage and started performing right next to my husband and I. The lights switched to us and everybody was watching. My husband and I started slow dancing to the song as everyone watched. Tears began to fall from my eyes during this magical moment. At the end of the song everyone clapped for us. To my surprise, the artist said "happy ten year anniversary" to us. I gave my husband a long kiss and everyone clapped again. It was the best night of my life.'

'I went camping at a Texas state park with two siblings. We talked about nostalgic memories around a campfire. On the last day, we hiked up a mountain and viewed the incredible scenery.'

"Three weeks ago I went camping at a Texas state park with two siblings. It was a cool summer afternoon and it had just finished raining. We decided to pack up our things and take a spontaneous trip to the most remote part of Park. Once we arrived, we set our things down and set up camp. We unpacked the marshmallows and started up a fire. We sat around the fire and just talked. Talked about our childhood, jobs, girlfriends, sports, you name it. We talked away the afternoon and our nostalgic memories lit up our faces. Our past few years hadn't been easy, with Dad leaving us and mom being stressed out raising us alone. This was our chance to just forget about hardships and focus on our love. Finally we got up and hiked up the mountain before nightfall. Once we reached the apex, we were greeted by the most majestic view of the valley. The forest canopy glistened under the soft glow of the moonlight as far as the eye could. We gasped in delight. Finally it was time to go back. I wish we couldve stayed in that moment forever."

'My horse gave birth. I was lucky enough to be there to witness the whole thing. It was a remarkable experience.'

"I have a horse who I bred last year. Horses are pregnant for 11 months. It seemed like forever before she would foal. Last month, my partner and I went out for ice cream but we decided to stop at the barn to check in on the horses. My partner's horse was there, in his usual spot, whinnying for carrots. My pregnant horse was nowhere to be seen. I immediately thought that she was stolen. I ran up to her stall and then saw that she was on the floor, going into labor. It was quite lucky that we got there when we did and were able to witness her giving birth. I immediately called my vet who arrived about twenty minutes later. She assisted my horse, pulling put the foal at the end. She then cut the placenta sac which was quite something to see. The filly was perfect. A real beauty with four white socks and a blaze. It took her about fifteen minutes to stand up and nurse. My horse was a great and conscientious mama. It was a very remarkable experience."

'My daughter first day in school. How she longed to attend school because she always saw her dad attend graduate school. Thhe joy of always doing what she loves make me emotional'

'My daughter actually started school for the first time just 3 months ago. Although she was so excited. We had a long talk about this few weeks ago, But i could also see tears in her eyes that she would miss me. At this time i became so emotional and started to think about all the fun times we shared together and it just dawned on me that life is in stages. There would be a time i will no longer live under the same roof with her and tears rolled down my checks. I love her so much. I know definitely i cant be with her forever but i promise to always support her and stand by her. She will always be my baby girl. I remember when i was in graduate school how she would always say Daddy I AM PROUD OF YOU. it always gets me so emotional and i always tell her i will be proud of her forever. My daughter is very smart and she always tells me that she wants to be s surgeon when she grows up. She is so focused at every thing she does. She always wants to know more about things around her and i love that about her. My daughter is very active she loves to exercise and live a healthy life. I know i will miss my daughter as she starts a new journey in life but i know it is the sacrifice i need to make to give my child a bright future,Anytime i think about her first day at school i get so emotional but am happy at the same time. She means the whole world to me and i am grateful she is my daughter. I will continue to do everythingin my power to make her the best version of herself.'

"I had a conversation with an elderly woman from Estonia. She was talking about how she felt that Nazi Germany's invasion of her country was a great thing. She seemed apologetic about Hitler."

"I got up early today, I had to go and visit my grandmother at the retirement home today. The bus ride there always takes about 45 min, Today there was a lady riding the whole way there with me. I wonder who she was going to see. The weather today was a bit cold and clammy and I should have worn my boots over shoes. I got there around 10am, which is right after breakfast which is always a good time to go a visit as everyone is wide awake. The most interesting woman was sitting and talking to my grandmother when I arrived. My grandmother introduce her as Edith and she moved here from Estonia shortly after the war. She told me about how she been in some of the pride rallies back then. That she had seen Hitler speak before he came to power and liked him. It was interesting to listen to someone who was welcoming of the Nazi party when they invaded her country. But after learning of the crimes the Nazi's did feels sad about ever liking Hitler. We spoke for about an hour and she told me all about her family life during the war. I stayed until after lunch and took the same bus home. The lady from earlier wasn't on the bus again, I wonder if she left already? Got home and made dinner for myself. I'm tired today and plan to get to sleep early."

'I am about to move into my new house. Then I am about to open up my bakery at the same time. Now is a good time to be me.'

"Dear Diary, I have been working so long and so hard for this. it's finally here, my dreams of owning my own bakery and getting the house of my dreams is coming to pass. I thought it would never happen because it looks so grim at first. Trying to own a home is something that sounds like a dream to be honest. With the economgy getting a lot of growth I thought I would not be able to take advantage of it but I was in fact able to advantage of it. Thank you God for giving me the opportunity to live this life. It's something I am truly grateful. Now i got to look for equipment for the bakery and furniture for the place. I dont know but I am so excited for this next chapeter in my life.. I never knew this would happen. Not now. But I am glad that it is. I am truly ready for the next step. Now I can run again. I am free again. I know hard work pays off. Now we can enjoy it."

"My wife reacted to chemotherapy treatment in a very negative way. While they were getting her into the ambulance our neighbor, who I hadn't met yet, offered to help by watching our pet. She said she would watch her for however long it takes."

'My wife was diagnosed with cancer last spring and needed radiation and chemotherapy. She also suffers from Fibromyalgia which was going to make the treatment much worse than it already is. She started the first round of chemo on a Monday and we spent 4 hours and 30 minutes in the infusion center. She was sent home with a battery operated pack that pumped chemo into her port 24 hours per day. Two days later (Wednesday) she woke and was very weak and very sick and a bit delusional. I had to leave for about 30 minutes to get her some medicine and when I got home she was so sick and in and out delusional that I decided to call 911 to take her to the hospital. Our bedroom is upstairs and I tried to help her out of bed to make it easier for the EMT\'s but she was dead weight even though she only weighs 128lbs. They arrived in about 10 minutes. Our little 3 month old puppy was downstairs in her kennel and was very nervous at everything that was going on. It was all so sudden but I tried to stay calm and figure out everything I had to do even though my first concern was my wife. Everything had to be moved out of the way so they could get the stretcher in the from door and up the steps. I had called my wife\'s daughter and she was on her way to our house and got there just about the same time as the ambulance. By this time my wife was quite delusional and had no idea what was going on or where she was. It was frantic. Three of them loaded her on the stretcher while I was giving a fourth all the pertinent information to be entered into a computer. I said I wanted to ride in the ambulance but they told me it was against regulations. They drove off with her with her daughter following in her car. I said I\'d be right there. All of a sudden it hit me that I had to to something with our puppy. I heard a voice behind me saying "sir, sir". I turned around and there was a woman with a young boy and she said "we live 2 doors down and if there\'s anything we can do to help, just let us know." I explained to her a little of what was happening and asked if there was any way she could watch our puppy. I didn\'t know what time I\'d be coming home from the hospital. She said they would be happy to, not to worry and they would take care of the puppy for as long as I needed. I gave her the keys to my house and thanked her profusely. As it turned out they took care of our sweet little girl for 5 days.'

'I had a bad job. the workers tried to get me fired. It did not work. I had to quit and now I am unemployed and having a hard time finding more work'

"Dear Diary,As you know, I am still looking for a job, but I am getting more discouraged every day. Why does it seem like every job is already taken or something that just doesn't fit my skills? Maybe I should have listened to my mom and went back to school. Yeah right, and live on what? I'm still just so mad about what happened. I guess I'm just having a hard time moving on. If only there were a job that pays well and I wouldn't have to deal with people like Tiffany and Josh. I just don't understand why some people get so much pleasure out of other people's pain. It wasn't enough for them to call me names everyday and mess with my stuff, they actually wanted me to be fired. Was I right to just quit? If I had known it was going to be this hard to find a new job, I guess maybe I would have toughed it out. You know what? Now that I think about it, I probably should just walk back in there and let everybody know what was going on. Rick did say I was the best worker there and he hated to see me go. I bet he would hire me back. Not sure why I let those two get the best of me in the first place. Why should I give up a good job? If they keep giving me problems, I'll give it right back to them. I'll let you know how it goes...Dear Diary,Got it! And in further news, Tiffany was fired a few days after I left. Josh is still there, but without Tiffany, he is not so bad. This is gong to work. I am so happy that I went back. Steak dinner tonight!"

'My cousin got married a few weeks ago. My daughter and I were in the wedding party and had a blast. It was an amazing party and felt so good to get together with friends and family members.'

'I was in the wedding party of my cousin. This happened about three weeks ago and was a very memorable event. I was great to see my cousin so happy and to get together with so many friends and family members. It was an absolutely perfect day and everything went according to plan. I was one of the bridesmaid and my daughter was the flower girl. My cousin always said she would never get married, so this was a special event. The food was great, the dancing was fun and it just felt good to laugh and let our hair down. The thing I liked best about this wedding was that it was a stylish party, but it was also relaxed and comfortable. Guests were allowed to have a good time and party without being in a stuffy atmosphere. The party went on from early afternoon to the wee hours of the morning. It was an amazing time and an amazing memory. I feel honored that I was asked to be a part of it. This was also the first time my daughter went to a wedding, so it was a memory for her too. She felt like a princess in her fancy dress. She had an amazing time. I hope to see everyone again soon.'

'My dog passed away 5 months ago. I still think of her everyday and I miss her so much. I had her buried in my garden in a spot where she always slept.'

"I was really close to my dog. I was getting sad because she was getting sick. I took her to the vet. They said was really sick. I didn't have enough money for the operation to save her. I asked them to put her done. It's been 5 months now since this happened. I'm sad about it all the time. I get depressed when I think about it. I miss her all the time and think about her. I wish I would have had more time with her. When she had passed I tried to decide where to bury her. She always loved being in the back yard and so that is where I thought her final resting place should be. I buried her in my garden. It was where she felt the safest. She was happiest there and I think it where she will be happy to have laid her body to rest."

'I recently started a job at a software company. It was a very enriching experience. I have a stronger bond with my co workers than I did with old childhood friends'

"I supervise five people at a software company. Sometimes we can disagree on how to implement software, but we usually come to an agreement at the end. Everyone needs software. It is one of the most important, highest paying careers out there. It's also not a job everyone has the brainpower for. That makes me feel special. Translating need into software is what I do best. I've met so many people from around the world that I otherwise wouldn't meet and i'm thankful for that every day. This is a job i've wanted since I was a little girl because my dad was a software developer, so I really feel fulfilled. There is a lot of bad software out in silicon valley like the juicero, but people with a real passion for helping people will always shine the brightest. In addition to fulfilling my dreams, I love my team. They are hilarious and make a really hard job much easier. They are fast learners as well. We do many social activities together contrary to the computer nerd stereotype. We hike, go to dinners, watch tv shows like silicon valley together, go to workshops, and even christmas parties. This is more than I did with my childhood friends of average intellect. I've been exposed to some of the brightest minds in the world from ivy leagues to natural homegrown talent and I could not be more thankful. I'm pretty sure I would not have the fulfillment at some dead end desk job like some of my old friends and my sister. They make living which is great in this say and age, but they get burned out so easily. I'm truly thankful for the path I took in life."

"I helped a friend of mine during a hard time in his life. I wanted him to make a smart decision. In the end, I don't believe he did make a good decision. He went with a woman who will probably hurt him in the end."

"I was able to help a friend of mine during a crisis in his life. He was leaving his wife and needed someone to turn to. That person was me. I was able to give him advice and tried to see things from his point of view. He was torn between trying to repair his relationship and going after a different one. I gave him my thoughts on both options. I gave him the good points and bad, as I saw them. In the end, he took neither choice. I would have never expected him to do this, but he did. His best option was to get his wife back, which he could have done easily, but he went another way. He decided to be with a woman who is probably not the best choice for him. She is a bit of a scandalous woman. I feel like my friend is being self destructive. I can't stop him from living his life. I did the best I could for him."

'A story about love and second chances. My story of a girl who opened her heart to me one last time. When she came back into my life it changed my whole world. This is my love story'

"My memorable moment in the last few months has to be the day my ex-wife came back into my life. We had a rocky past and since we have split up, we both have moved onto other relationships. Recently, we were both single and she reached out to me and discussed all of our past to try to reconcile. I have so much love for her and by her simply coming back it lit a fire under me to do better for her. About 1 month ago she had sent me a message on instagram and asked if we could meet. This was a huge reaching out and it instantly made me happy and all the old feelings came rushing back in. I was delighted to hear from her and I missed her so much but, I was still suspicious. As the weeks went by we spent more and more time together until we decided to get back together. This made me so happy and I feel like this was a life changing event. I feel like I wont ever forget about this day because it was a second chance for me and that's so important. I was so happy to receive her back into my life and it's probably the most memorable moment in my life to this date. She opened up her heart and exposed all she was thinking for the past 3 years. I find out she is still the same witty person I fell in love with all those years ago. I was surprised she still remembered so many things about me and we had so many things in common. One night we stayed up all night and drove down the shore to watch the sunrise on the beach, we talked about our most intimate feelings and how we could be better for each other. This moment touched me so greatly that I wanted her to love me more. In all I love her so much and I'm so happy I had another chance at happiness"

'When my son and I were waiting for my husband in the car, a drunk driver lost control of his vehicle, and spun into a pole then crashed into the front of our car.'

"About 1 month ago my son and I were sitting in the car, waiting to pick up my husband and drive him home. My husband was running late and texted me that he would be there in about ten minutes. We waited for a while, listening to the radio in the car, and everything was fine for about seven or eight minutes. Then I heard a loud engine in the distance. My son heard it too, and commented on it. After a while the noise grew louder and eventually the car was close enough that I could see it coming. The car was speeding and veering around, so I quickly realized the driver was drunk. My son and I sat in silence, hoping that this reckless driver would pass by without causing any problems for us. Unfortunately that was not the case. Just as the car was passing us, it started spinning wildly. This happened so suddenly that neither of us had time to react. I had parked the car next to a light pole because I thought it would make it easier for my husband to find us in a bright spot. That light pole may have saved our lives, because the spinning car hit the pole and stopped instead of hitting our car. My son and I were both so shocked that we didn't say anything for a while. Eventually we got out of the car to check on the driver, who also got lucky and only had a few minor injuries. My husband arrived just as this was happening, and ran to the scene of the accident. He was relieved to find out that we were okay, and I was glad that he hadn't arrived a bit earlier when he could have been hit by the car. I called the police to report the accident, and we had to wait at the scene so that they could get our reports of what happened. Once that was finally done, we were able to go home and relax after that frighteningly close call."

'I moved from Massachusetts to New Mexico. I drove with my girlfriend, and our cat. It was a long drive.'

"Moved from Boston to Santa Fe. We took our cat. It was 2000 mile or so trip. Drove from boston to Connecticut. From there, we drove to PA, outside of Pittsburg. Then we went to Indianapolis, I think, which sucks. From there we went to Oklahoma. Then from there, finally, to NM, Santa Fe. We mostly ate fast food, and stayed at Motel 6. Drove 8 hours a day most days. It was certainly a journey, but we did it, and now I love where I live, though I'm still me, and struggling with some of the same things as when I lived in Boston, such as money, and being isolated. Still, this city is wonderful, and I love it. I would not ever want to live in Boston again. The people there are very mean. Also, the winter sucks. Yuck."

'I developed a sudden severe pain, enduring it for many hours - decided to go to the ER after worrying it could be very serious (such as a stroke) and was given the all clear. I fully recuperated and was given medicine, and the healing was rather quick.'

"After the pain - The healing. After the Urgent Care visit and the pain subsided, I worried it might come back. The whole day I kept ice firmly pressed against the area, trying my best to keep it at bay. The anxiousness and anxiety it caused was not good. It kept me from sleeping or focusing well, and also from working. I worried - will I need to take more pain medicine? Will the infection return? Thankfully, with full rest, mouth rinse, and a positive outlook, the pain was no more. Now, I make sure to rinse daily with this unique mouth wash and so far it's been pretty positive. Also of note, I ended up making up my work and being given reduced hours, which helped me make up the amount of money lost. The doctor at the Urgent Care Center stated it appeared to be an infection resulting from impacted wisdom teeth. Wisdom Teeth come in around 17 years of age, or start to and eventually become impacted. Impaction leads to vision problems, pain, on site infection, and shifting teeth among other things. I have experienced some pain for years over this, but only recently, has it become so bad that it incapacitates me. While I personally do not want to undergo wisdom tooth extraction, I definitely recommend it if you suffer."

'I went to Punta Cana for my 10 year anniversary. I went snorkeling for the first time. We were a little concerned about news stories coming out while we were there, but it ended up being totally fine.'

"I went to Italy for 3 years. It was amazing. I explored all of Rome, Naples and small towns people never hear of. I was driving through the towns of Bari, Santi Cosma E damiano and castle forte. I visited the beach of Gaeta and just had a wonderful time meeting wonderful people. Me and my family had a great time visiting ancient sites and castles and having great pizza. I would venture out with the new friends that I met in Italy and go to bars and clubs an have a blast. Everyone I met was very friendly for the most part. Also, don't get me started on the wine over there. While I was there I lived in a 3 story villa and had a wonderful landlord as well. He was always courteous friendly, and helpful. The landlord was one of the best landlords I ever had. He was always available and he loved playing with my son. I can not wait to return to Italy and meet with all my friends again. Driving through the country sides of Italy is one of the most relaxing things you can do."

"I've made an important decision to adopt my first Chocolate Lab puppy. It was the best decisions that I've ever made in my life up until this point."

'Growing up I always had pets, one of my favorite was a mutt my parents had adopted named Scruffy. He always helped make facing life a little easier. No matter what I said or did all he showed was love. During the rougher times in life he was always by my side and helped me stay calm and think clearer. Those memories are what have fueled my decision. I greatly miss having a canine companion and after much research I have decided that a lab would be the best kind of dog to suit my lifestyle now. I particularly love the coloring on the chocolate labs and with a little luck I found my new doggy soul mate. I went to 3 different shelters and visited with many different dogs. While they are all adorable and I somewhat wish I could take them all home. There was something special about "Sugar Bear", even his name seems to fit perfectly. Once we met, it was literally love at first site. He is amazing and I feel so much happier having him in my life. Hands down the best decision I\'ve ever made so far! I don\'t feel as depressed anymore now that I have a furry friend by my side. He makes my evening walks so much nicer and helps me feel safe. I love getting to cuddle with him at night after a long day. I can\'t believe I waited this long to adopt another dog honestly, but I am so happy that I finally did. I cannot picture life without my lil lab.'

'After my dad passed away I visited Kentucky. It brought back a lot of happy memories. I got to experience emotions that I thought were lost.'

'After my dad passed away, I realized that it had been a long time since I had been to Kentucky. My dad was from Kentucky and we would drive to Kentucky almost every weekend when I was a child. I have a lot of great memories of being in Kentucky. I decided I wanted to share this same experience with my family, so we planned a weekend and went. Just the car ride alone brought back many memories and gave me that wonderful feeling of nostalgia. I remembered being a kid and riding in the back seat of the car with my sister. One of our favorite things were riding in the car watching other people go by, listening to our music, reading a book and just having fun passing time while we drove our four hour drive. We visited many of the same places I went as a kid. We ate at some of the same restaurants I did, and even stayed at the same hotel. It was such a great feeling, getting to relive those memories and share it with my own family. While we were visiting some of the places I did as a child, all these wonderful feelings and memories came flooding in. It was a very very happy experience. I feel that the experience made me feel so close to my dad. I never wanted to lose any memories of my father because there were so many good memories and he was such a good person. This trip helped me to connect to all my past experiences and relive them. I think this trip made my memories so much more stronger and I am thankful I got to experience and give my family an experience of my past.'

'My husband and I explored different ideas on spicing up our sex life. We decided to try swinging again and had a pleasant experience this time.'

"My husband and I attended a swinging party in a nearby town. It was held in a hotel that we were able to get rooms in. The party would take place downstairs in the conference room. We had spent quite some time getting ready for the costume themed party and took some pictures. When we got downstairs, we were surprised by how crowded it was. They had a black light and other disco lights going and the music was loud. We chose a table in the middle and as soon as we sat down, we had another couple approach us. This was our first couple since the big blowup earlier in our swinging history. The other couple seemed very nice and clean cut and both members were attractive. We thought we were getting along well, but we had to run to our room for a minute to freshen up and when we came back out and was waiting for the elevator, we saw the woman who we were speaking to rushing out with her luggage and crying. This was right after we were all at the table together talking well so we were surprised when she would not get on the elevator with us or speak to us. We thought to ourselves, uh oh, they can't handle our sauce! One of our biggest issues was finding couples that were on the same page in their relationship but obviously this was not it! She apparently had some unresolved jealousy going on that she was not honest about. The husband seemed oblivious to all this so we concluded that he had talked her into going. I do not think that she was fully involved in that decision and was just going along to please her husband."

'A kitten us found in a parking lot, covered in ants. I cleaned the kitten and drove home with it in my lap. I fed it with a syringe every two hours and stayed up all night keeping it warm.'

'In the morning I decided that it was my job to give this kitten a home. I really want to keep it, but I work up to ten hours a day so that wouldn\'t be fair to the kitten. The first step was to take it to the vet. I knew there would be vaccinations and a de-worming involved. I figured I would ask the vet who could help me find the little guy a home. At the vet, I sat in the lobby with a few other people. The kitten was nice and warm in my hoodie. An older lady was there, looking tearful at the desk. I did some eavesdropping and figured out that she had just put her older cat down. A light bulb moment. I didn\'t waste any time thinking about whether or not this was a good idea. Before I could tell myself to mind my own business I said, "ma\'am are you interested in adopting a kitten?" She wiped her eyes and looked at me cautiously. I pulled the little kitten out of my sweatshirt and she couldn\'t help but "awwwwwww. poor little guy." I knew she was the one. Maybe there was a higher power who put us together that day. I gave her the kitten after his examination and the woman had tears of happiness in her eyes when I said goodbye.'

"My nephew chose me to do his nap time routine with him when his parents weren't home. This reinforced the fact that we do have a bond even though he lives in a different state."

"A couple of months ago, I was visiting my sister, brother in law, and nephew. My mom and daughter were with me, too. One day, my sister had an appointment and my brother in law was at work. It was getting to be nap time for my nephew, and my mom was getting ready to start his nap time routine with him, and he said he wanted me to do it instead. I was out on the porch talking to my husband on the phone, and my mom was holding my nephew and walking down the stairs, and he saw me and made her go get me so that I could put him down for a nap. This made me feel so happy because sometimes I worry that we don't have a super strong bond. My sister has a very strong bond with my daughter, and I want the same with her son. However, I worry about that not happening because they live in a different state now, so he doesn't get to spend a lot of time with me. It made me feel like we do have a really strong bond when he insisted on me doing his routine with him. I got to cuddle him while he drank some milk. Then, we went into his bedroom and read a couple of books. We cuddled some more while rocking in his rocking chair. Then, I laid him in his crib and he went right to sleep, just like he does for his mom. It made me feel like I was a regular part of his life. It meant a lot to me."

'I put in an offer on a house and the offer was accepted. I signed closing papers and received the keys to my new house. I felt elated and that a load of pressure was lifted off of my shoulders.'

'When I bought my house 4 months ago, it was such a memorable experience. It took me so long to get ready to buy a house. I had to build my credit and change jobs. I had to get a job that paid more so that my debt to income ratio would be acceptable. This is why buying a house meant so much to me because I had to work really hard to get it. It was finally something that was actually mine. I felt like I had leveled up in life. So many people had doubted my ability to achieve this goal. The reality started when my offer was first accepted on the house. I could not believe this was happening to me and that I was actually starting. During the whole process I felt so many different emotions. I tried not to get too excited at first. I remember that I really did not want to discuss the topic with anyone. When I was signing the closing papers and being given the keys I felt such a huge weight coming off of my shoulders. I could not wait to finally go home.'

'I went to Mexico with a group of friends for my 25th birthday. We went on several excursions while we were there.'

"I recently went to Mexico for my 25th birthday. It was exciting because I haven't been there before, and it was a chance to get a group of my friends together. We spent 4 days over there, and we had events planned everyday. It was busy but definitely a lot of fun. The first night, we just relaxed at the resort. The second day we went ziplining, which was extremely fun. We also went to a cenote. The last day, we went on a catamaran to Isla Mujeres, which was breathtaking. Being on that boat and looking at the view was incredible. My most memorable moment was definitely when the tour guide danced around the catamaran and poured us drinks. It was a lot of fun and I felt relaxed. The view was phenomenal, and just being with my friends was great. The sea was super blue, and it was breathtaking. The whole trip we ate to our heart's content. It was great food, and all of the drinks we could have. It was one of my best trips, and I will definitely remember it for a while."

'I was invited to my friends secret wedding that none of our friends knew they were doing only their immediate family. I was the photographer they choose also as my first solo gig doing wedding photography but being able to partake in the whole day meant a lot for our friendship.'

"I was ecstatic when my childhood friend called me one day, out of the blue in a Saturday morning 4 months ago. I was surprised to see his name come up on my phone - I haven't seem him since high school. He knew that I was a aspiring photographer that was looking for gigs. When he told me that he was engaged and wanted me to take pictures for a secret wedding, I was jumping up and down on the subway train. My first solo gig was going to be for a friend's secret wedding! I prepared for weeks, taking many as many practice shots as I could. My friend and his wife was gorgeous on that day - it was just me, them, and their families. It was a great honor for me to be their photographer, and the wedding was held at a wedding venue filled to the brim with bright lights. It was every photographer's dream - to take pictures in such an grand environment. My friend and I did a lot of catching up - after high school, he went to college where he majored in actuarial science, and is now a successful accountant. I thanked him for giving me this opportunity. The food was great - everyone was served beer and lobster. I took hundreds of photos that day. Everyone had a great time. I can't wait to develop the film photos!"

'My most noteworthy youth occasion was the point at which I was 25 years of age. It was the Fourth of July. A major family excursion a grill.'

'It was a family moments. My most noteworthy youth occasion was the point at which I was 25 years of age. It was the Fourth of July. A major family excursion a grill, over night remain and away trek to six banners, and I had a ton of fun the prior night me, my mother, sisters and sibling gathered our sacks to remain the night over my cousin house in Goodlettsville ,Tennessee. She had the greatest house ever I thought it was a chateau; six rooms two a half shower, a pool, a game/motion picture live with a huge kitchen. It was something that I was not utilize, realizing that we remained in a three room dependent on a salary loft on the East side of Nashville. Touching base to my cousin house I seen alot of my relatives even the ones that was from away. We welcomed one another and… show progressively content… My most noteworthy youth occasion was the point at which I was 25 years of age. It was the Fourth of July. A major family get-away a grill, over night remain and away outing to six banners, and I had a ton of fun the prior night me, my mother, sisters and sibling gathered our sacks to remain the night over my cousin house in Goodlettsville ,Tennessee. She had the greatest house ever I thought it was a chateau; six rooms two a half shower, a pool, a game/motion picture stay with a huge kitchen. It was something that I was not utilize, realizing that we remained in a three room dependent on a salary condo on the East side of Nashville. Touching base to my cousin house I seen alot of my relatives even the ones that was from away. We welcomed one another and we went on about our business. My most noteworthy youth occasion was the point at which I was 25 years of age. It was the Fourth of July. A major family excursion a grill, over night remain and away trek to six banners, and I had a ton of fun the prior night me.'

'The day we buried my dear mom in law was one to remember. It was a beautiful day and a gorgeous service. Everyone came to honor her. The service was very nice and personal.'

'Two weeks ago, we buried my mother in law. It was a sad day that day. My father had a few tears. My mother had a few more tears. My brothers and sisters all gave me a hug. I gave a speech about her life. She was an accountant. She always went to work with a smile. She always got the job done. She was the best accountant at the company. She had a few kids and a husband. They all loved her. She loved to eat cupcakes. She loved them if they had some sprinkles on them. We celebrated this by having a giant batch of cupcakes made for the burial. We all grabbed a cupcake and threw them into the grave before she was buried.'

'My son had to be monitored in the hospital for 3 days due to his epilsepy. My whole family was there to support him.'

"My 6 year old son was diagnosed with epilepsy about a year ago. About 3 months ago, he had to stay in the hospital for 48 hours to be continually monitored. This had to be done due to concerns from his teachers. They were saying he seemed to be drifting off at random times and not responding. Because of them reporting this issue, we made an appointment with his neurologist. She stated that the only way to see if he was still having seizure activity was to monitor him for 2 days in the PICU. So we set a date and time and waited patiently for it to come around. The day of the test, we arrived very early. They showed us to his room and within an hour the tech was there to begin the process. As they attached the multiple amounts of electrodes to my young child's head, I began to get very emotional and I'm not sure why. It's hard to see your child has an issue. You feel like you may have done something wrong at some point to cause it. All of my family came to visit my son while he was in the hospital and it was very heartwarming that everyone came together to be there for him. The best part about the whole situation was that the test showed no new seizure activity. This means that hopefully he will grow out of his condition over the next few years and can completely wean off of seizure medication and enjoy a normal teenage and adult life."

'I prayed for a friend and help in learning how to budget ,and save more money. The friendship took time to connect but when it did it was joyful and i was grateful. And i gain a lot of help and outstanding friendship for years to come because of answer prayer.'

"I've always been the type to make money and save money. I just always thought it was important to be able to manage money. Managing money can be very lucrative in the future for anyone. So I just thought it was best to learn it early on in life. I had a friend who struggled with doing just that. we weren't really friends at first it took time to connect. Our relationship started due to them not being able to budget correctly. So I was able to help them out with that. Due to my patience and advice it sparked a little friendship between us. Even after giving them advice I prayed for them to get help and learn how important it was to budget and save. I was grateful and joyful once we became friends. I ended up gaining a lot of help and outstanding relationship for years. All thanks to a prayer that helped me and friend out. Things can always get better due to practice. Being determined to do something will help out as well."

'My partner was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes and had a horrible diet of sugar and carbs rich foods. He surprised me with his willpower and desire to be healthier by changing his diet. The changes he took made both of our lives much better and we are healthier and happier because of it.'

"My partner was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes towards the end of May 2019. He has so far, lost almost 80 lbs. of weight and continues to lose. All of his bloodwork from the doctors comes back in healthy range numbers now. He has reduced his sugar and carb intake. Now down to less than 20 carbs per day. I have also lost 40 pounds. Since we both eat so much healthier now and a lot of junk food isn't around in the house to snack on. I never would have thought that he could be so stern with himself and stay on track with what he ate before. I am glad that he has surprised me with sticking to it. We no longer spend near the amount of money on groceries and he has stopped eating out where he doesn't know the nutritional count of the food. He looks a lot better as well. He has some loose skin, but that is to be expected. He's lost almost a whole person. He had to buy all new clothes. He didn't get to eat much for Thanksgiving dinner though. Since all of that food has high carb counts."

'My heart was suddenly destroyed by someone I thought I could trust and count on. It took me completely by surprise and flipped my world around. Although it was painful and hard it helped me get stronger and showed me who I really could count on.'

'I am humble and calm person. and i trust everyone easily. in my office i have huge friends. but i speak with particular friend. then one day a new employee joint to our office. he looks so innocent. i see him as me. so i give a company to him. and talk with him. we become very close. then after some days passed we become very thick friend. one day he cheated me in money. My heart was suddenly destroyed by someone. I thought I could trust and count on. It took me completely by surprise and flipped my world around. Although it was painful and hard it helped me get stronger and showed me who I really could count on.'

'I moved out of a major city upon graduation and then returned a couple years later looking for a job. I was not sure how the city would treat me or if I would feel at home, however I was pleasantly surprised that I did feel quite at home, mostly because of reconnecting with friends.'

'I recently moved back to a big city to look for a job after a few years. After graduating grad school in this particular city I had moved upstate. However last month I packed my suitcase and came back to the same city to look for a job. I came back for a few reasons, one being better career opportunities but also to connect with my friends. I stayed over at a friends apartment for a few weeks while trying to land job interviews. There I rediscovered our friendship from years ago. We both went to college together and it was heart warming that despite years of not really communicating other than facebook messaging we got a long pretty well. It was almost a comforting sign. It was like the universe showing me positive signs that I might be on the right path. For a few years I was unsure of where I should be. However coming back to the city and meeting with old friends showed me how much I felt at home here. Right now I am working a temporary job to hold me over. However I really pray that I will find something stable here and am able to live and work here again. Although the city has changed I still love it. Finally I realized this is where I want to be.'

'Four months ago, my wife and I sold our first family home. It was a difficult decision, but it needed to happen because we needed more bedrooms for our growing children.'

'My wife and I have been living in the same family home for the last ten years. It was our first family home and we purchased it when we were newlyweds. Now that our children are growing up, we needed more bedrooms. We tried to make the current situation work as we are very attached to this first house. It was a difficult decision, but after much deliberation we decided to sell it. This happened about four months ago. We are excited about the new house we are moving into but miss the nostalgic touches of where we reared our children in their younger days. We miss the apple tree outside that we planted ourselves when we first moved in. We miss the marks on the wall where we recorded their height as they grew up. But we try and look forward to the new memories we will be creating in this new home and set our sights on the future. This house has a dining nook where we can imagine many family pizza and movie nights going forward. It also has a fire pit that we can imagine the kids will enjoy having their friends over at as they grow older. It is important to never grow to attached to worldly things as nothing lasts. It is also important to remember that although nothing lasts, nothing is lost. The older I grow the more I realize what this truly means to me.'

'While working downtown, I broke and dislocated my ankle in two places, and was transported to the hospital.'

"The most awful thing happened to me four months ago, I still think about it all the time. I was working downtown on a Tuesday morning, like I often do and fell. It was miserable, I was so busy with a work deadline and looking down at my phone that I didn't even think about looking down to the sidewalk, I should have obviously because I tripped on an uneven section. I knew as soon as I hit the ground that this was really bad and the pain was immense. I had been carrying a coffee in one hand and cell phone in the other, I was covered in coffee and my cell phone screen was smashed. Thankfully it happened right near the coffee shop downtown so there we so many witnesses that someone was able to call an ambulance straight away! I guess that was one positive to the situation. It only took about 10 minutes for the ambulance to arrive but it felt like a life time. Thankfully the hospital is nearby and they transported me quickly. The wait once I got there to be seen was amazingly quick, I guess Tuesday mornings are quiet for hospitals. After the x-ray they announced I had broken and dislocated my ankle in two places, I guess that explained my extreme pain and the swelling! The doctor was so courteous and told me to not panic at the sight of my ankle, it looked horrendous. Dark gray and like nothing I have ever seen before. The funniest thing for me was that a friend texted me and said they had driven by at exact moment I fell, what are the chances of that ever happening?! The whole incident was embarrassing, I should have taken more care, I mean the amount of times that I have told my kids to get their faces out of their phones. The irony is I was trying to catch up my work and instead, I am incredibly behind now. I keep telling myself that it could have been worse and my ankle will heal. And thank goodness I had insurance on the cell phone! I had to stay home for four weeks which felt like the longest time of my life but I am pleased to say my ankle is all healed and I am no longer walking and working."

'My daughter biggest day was a big disappointment. I had prepared for this day my whole life but I forgot the most important thing the day of her graduation.'

'My daughter had talked and talked and talked about this day since she was young. She had practiced her smile and how she would walk across the stage to receive her diploma. She made me pretend to be her audience while she practiced her ceremonial speech. She was the valedictorian and this was a day. I listened as she stumbled over words, her hands trembled and she sweated profusely as she practice that speech over and over again. I assured her that she would be just fine and she trusted me. My daughter is a perfectionist so she had written a "to do list" for the day of the ceremony. My one and only job was to make sure I had the camera. My daughter biggest day was a big disappointment. To a certain degree I felt like I had failed my child, I was so sad. Despite all the preparation and and ALL the practice, the day of the ceremony was a huge ball of blurriness. I became more and more anxious as the day progresses. I mentally went over what I had to bring along so that my big baby\'s day would be perfect! I remembered everything except the camera. I couldn\'t get the professional pics I wanted but I do have all the memories! Great memories!'

'I was worried about my friends pregnancy and recieved a mortifying text about her situation. I am unsure what to do.'

"Dear Diary,Today was awful. My friend text me about her new born baby. I had been suspicious lately because she had not contacted me to come see the baby since the baby shower. She was not posting on social media either. Than out of nowhere she text me that her child has a rare blood disease that only occurs in 1 out of 20,000 new borns. Skin to skin contact of the child results in horrible lesions and infections. She will never be able to work or have a normal life. I still feel almost in shock. Nothing like this has ever happened to someone I love. I want to be there for her but I have no idea how. I am trying to figure out a positive action I could take but nothing is coming to my mind. I really feel she wants to be left alone. It's odd but I think she just needs to be with the child and I will be there for her when things cool down and she at least has come to grips of her future somewhat. Her future and life are completely shattered. She has to start all over again."

'My dad is sick and needs dialysis to get by. Its been really hard because of all the changes. My dad is strong and I know he will continue to pull forward.'

"It was just a few months ago when I learn that my dad needed dialysis in order to survive. This was a sad moment because he always seemed to be strong. Kidney failure began a few years ago until they no longer worked without the help of a machine. The news totally shocking as we thought he had more time and also hoped he would recover without needing this machine. Its bee a few months since he started this process and he has lost a lot of weight. It makes me really sad but I know this is all a part of life and I´m thankful we have the technology today to have him with us for many years to come. Its been several months of changes but in the end we will support him and be there for him with positivism and with a lot of energy as we know this will make him better. My siblings and I talked long about this and about the necessary course of action and we all agreed to be strong for my dad. We need to be there for him, help him with his medicine. My dad is stubborn and doesn't like others to help him. We need to find a way to be there for him without triggering negative responses. Its been a couple of months filled with challenges. I think about all the families that have similar struggles some of them early on. I am happy to be with my dad, to have him with us. I hope he gets better and we will be with him every step of the way."

'I was unhappy with my old lifestyle as an engineer and I decided to quit it all and pack my car to move to Colorado so I can pursue my true passion which is snowboarding. I am here now and a working towards my goals as a backcountry tour guide in the mountains.'

'Dear Diary, I quit my comfortable job as an engineer 2 months ago to go a pursue my passion: snowboarding. I thought I had it all figured out with my job but after a couple years I realized that I do not really like engineering. The realization of that hit me really hard because it turns out that I was just doing it to fulfill someone else\'s expectations. It was never something I really wanted but it was something that I thought I wanted because I was worried about my status and ego. Now, neither of those things are important to me. Money is not even a motivation for me anymore. All I care about is achieving happiness in my life and to get out of the rat race that is called work. I kept looking at everyone in my office and thought that I needed to get out of here. Life was so mundane. I decided to pack up my car with all my essentials and I drove out to Colorado to try to become a snowboard guide. The beginning has been an emotional rollercoaster with thoughts like "am I making a good decision?" and "How will I keep myself alive?" bumping around in my head. As I waved goodbye to my parents I started to feel extreme sadness. I drove across country from the east coast to Colorado on a 5 day rode trip. I am now settled down a little bit in Colorado with some support from friends. As soon as I got to this great state, I knew I had found the right place for me. I know I have a long journey ahead of me but I think back and am glad that I am here and not still in my comfortable job.'

"The life-changing event of a job loss is never easy. It's an experience of watching everything you've become familiar with and known for so long slowly fade away. You lose your friends, your routines, and a little bit of yourself."

"This life-changing event happened over the span of a few weeks, about six months ago. My job that I worked for ten years closed it's doors for good. I worked at the store since it's opening, so basically, I've was there from birth to death. There were no warnings or signs that it would close, the news came at quite a shock. I'll never forget the day my manager pulled me aside and told me the shocking news. I was in a state of disbelief. I knew that from that point on everything will change. I started out as a regular sales associate. I moved my way up the ranks over the years. I worked very hard to get to the position that I was at, but deep down, I wanted to leave and change careers. I've been internally battling on whether to stay or go. I've gotten so used to working there, my coworkers, and the familiar faces of the customers. However, I knew it was time to move on, I just needed a push to do it. I feel like everything happens for a reason, and maybe this was some higher power forcing me to move on. The experience was very new to me. I've never been through a store closing and liquidation before. It's an experience that I'll never forget. You try to stay positive in this bittersweet moment. It's a weird feeling watching day-by-day, the physical look of the store change. It gets emptier and emptier. Products are being marked down to prices as low as you've ever seen. The closer you get to the last day, you start to realize that this is the last time you'll ever set foot in such a familiar place. The smells, the sounds, the commute, etc, will all become a distant memory."

'Woke up one morning and heard one of my kids fall to the ground in their room. I thought my daughter was choking but it turned out to be something else...'

"Well this was not too long ago, i believe it was middle of March. It was a Sunday morning and I had just woken up and was laying on my couch. My wife was still asleep in the room and my kids were playing in their room. I then heard a loud thud come from my kids room. I called out to them and asked what was that sound. Then my son says that my daughter, Piper, was on the ground acting weird. So I got up and rushed in there and seen her face down on the ground behind the door. My son then says he thought she had some legos in her mouth. She was shaking and eyes closed not breathing. I started to panic and scream. I called for my wife and as each moment passed I thought I was loosing here. I tried to feel in her mouth, but had trouble opening her jaw and could not find anything. My wife called 911 while I was trying various things as she continued not to respond. I sat down holding her upside down and she was turning blue and I began to panic more. I tried one last time to see if I could find something in her throat and could not. Some emergency service folks and sheriff had arrived and as they were coming up to our doors my daughter started to cry out. At this point we knew she wasn't joking, thankfully so! But what had happened and the hospital confirmed is that she had had a seizure. She had them before but I have never witnessed one whereas my wife has so my in experiencing caused a lot of trauma for everyone."

'My trip back to Jamaica after 20 years. Going back to my old neighborhood and realizing how much as changed from what I remembered.'

"Five weeks ago, I came back to Jamaica. I haven't been here in 20 years. As soon as the plane landed I'm immediately flooded with memories. Some I'll cherish forever, and others I wish I could forget. My old house is now an internet cafe. The streets I played in as a child that were once filled with the sweet aromas of home cooked meals, now just stink of petrol. I can no longer see the ocean from every street corner. All I see around me is grey, no more trees, birds or even a sea breeze. Just cement and wires sticking out everything. As much as it make me happy to see my town progress into the future. I wish it could still hold onto some things from the past. At least a few of the old characters are still around. I see what used to be my closest friend, still at his usual post. Playing cards on a milk crate behind the corner store. He's with some people I've never met. He spots me from across the road, and does a double take. I smile give him a wave, and he does the same. I ran across the street to say hello. He greets me with a big hug and we reminisce about the old days. He introduces me to the folks he's playing cards with and gives me a quick tour of our old neighborhood. I really enjoyed seeing him, my trip home was even better having been able to see him."

'On Sept. 6 we closed on our new house. It was great because God did a series of miracles and even provided new furniture.'

'It has been four months since we closed the deal on the purchase of our new home and both me and my husband are still in awe over how God blessed us with this house. Not only did God help us overcome a number of financial obstacles we experienced in purchasing the house, but God went even further and provided new furniture. When we started looking for homes, everything was out of our price range. The only thing we could afford were condominiums. But we wanted a yard for our dogs, so that meant we needed a house with a yard. We were getting a little depressed about our lack of options, but things soon changed. We decided to go to a gospel retreat to lift our spirits. While there, one of the ministers told us about this developer who had one home left in a new subdivision. So, we immediately contacted the developer. He told us that he would reduce the price of the home if we closed right away. We had advance loan approval from our bank, but still needed another $10,000 for the down payment. As it turned out, there was a charity raffle at the retreat and God intervened and made sure we won the prize, which was exactly what we needed--$10,000. So we had our financing in place and then came the free furniture! We were in desperate need of furniture, but used every penny we had for the down payment. Fortunately for us, the home we bought was the model home for the new subdivision. Since we needed furniture, God moved the developer to throw in all the new display furniture for free. God is good!'

"I was my grandson's caretaker when he had a seizure. I took care of him during the seizure by getting him on the floor, maintaining an open airway, and timing the seizure."

"My 4 year old grandson has epilepsy. I have witnessed two seizures when he was with his mother, my daughter. But I have never been his sole protector and advocate during one. I have prayed that I would never see the day that I would be alone with him when one happened. But that day came. My husband and I went to their home to babysit so my daughter and son-in-law could go to an evening wedding of a friend. As my grandson stood at the window waving goodbye to them, he turned slightly towards me and became rigid. I knew that he was about to go into a seizure. I laid him gently on the carpet and turned him onto his side. I told my husband to run outside and try to flag them down. I grabbed my cell phone to note what time the seizure began. I made sure he was breathing. He jerked slightly for about a minute, and then his body relaxed and he gave a big sigh. It was over. My husband had been able to stop them, and they all came in around that point. My grandson was very confused, and then became sleepy, so my daughter held him for a long nap. I was very emotionally drained afterwards. When someone has a seizure they are totally defenseless and helpless. My grandson's frailties and vulnerabilities was driven into me that evening. It was a traumatizing event for me. If someone near you has a seizure, you must act to help them. Get them safely to the ground, otherwise a fall could be very injurious or even fatal. Turn them to their side to keep the airway open. If they have been eating, clear the mouth. Note the time, and call for help if it goes over two minutes."

"In a nutshell this world is more of a gray area then black or white when it comes to how the world really works. And I think most times keeping an open mind it's the way to be."

"2 months ago I realized something. I realized that the world is a grey area and not just black and white. The world works in mysterious ways and I say roll with an open mind. That's the only way you can function. If you try to take on the world it will bite you. So, go in with no expectations or as a superhero to try to fix it. Take life in stride, enjoy and drink some coffee. Know that what happens is going to happen. Take all your problems one at at time. Enjoy the small things in life like your cat, dog, kids. Do yogo every morning to ease your day. If someone bumps you, say sorry, move on. All in all, 2 months ago I learned a valuable lesson. Keep an open mind. I love my life."

"My great, great uncle accidentally hurt my great uncle recently with his car. After a week of surgery, he was looking okay, but he had a stroke and then was in a coma. There wasn't a big chance of him waking up, but he's come out of the coma. He hasn't responded at all, though, and probably won't."

"Dear Diary,Recently, my great uncle was in a very terrible accident. I have been fortunate enough until now to not know the pain of losing family members--pets were very difficult, but expected. I had no idea how to handle what I was feeling. My great, great uncle-- in his 90s-- accidentally crushed his legs between a truck and his own car. Both of his legs were completely shattered. He was in the ICU for a week having multiple surgeries done to him. It brought up a lot of feelings that I wasn't expecting to have, especially torwards a man I hardly knew and disliked more than I liked. I found myself tempted to pray, despite being raised as an atheist. Things were looking okay once the surgery was done, though. He would have a long road to being better, but he'd live. Then, there was a blood clot and he had a massive stroke. It resulted in a coma. He didn't wake up for another week. I sat there and wondered if anybody would listen to my input, if we would let him go, if we would have to be there when he was unplugged. There was almost no chance of him waking up. Technically, since then, he has woken up. He hasn't opened his eyes or woken up yet. His brain is probably not there anymore. I don't know what could possibly happen that was good out of this. He won't ever be the person he was before. I never really got a chance to meet him. My great great uncle is so overcome with guilt that he will die soon, most likely--he's lost so much weight. His wife is in terrible condition as well. Most of my friends don't really understand why I've been so distant but I just want to be with my family lately. I'm not sure if I have a right to mourn him, but I'm really saddened by it all."

"My daughter is loving her new First Grade class. As parents we are very proud of her. We're looking forward to seeing all the fun things she is doing in class."

'My daughter is my world. She is very pretty girl. I call her angel. she is first in class. and also. she is first in sports. and also she is first in extra curricular activities. like swimming,drawing extra. she is very talented girl. i am very proud to be her father. she got many medal at state level. she is very active girl in her class. even her teacher told to me. 1 weeks ago my daughter is love her new first grade class. As a parents we are very proud of her. We are looking forward to seeing all her fun things doing in class. we do many fun things even in our home. i was wonder when she did fun things.'

'The death of my best friend was very unexpected, and how I learned about her passing was one of the most difficult times in my life.'

"My best friend and I worked together, in June I took a two week vacation and when I came back to work she took her vacation of two weeks. We were both at work the 1st Monday in July after the holiday, she was kind of down and not herself, but I attributed it to her having to be back at work. We left for the night and had sent several text messages through the evening. Upon waking up on Tuesday I noticed that there were strange posts on her Facebook from other people, but nothing specific. I readied myself for work and made the 45 minute commute. As soon as I got in the office people were giving me weird looks and I knew something was up. I casually asked if she had called in already since her car was not in the lot. My boss, who is a very no nonsense man asked me to come into his office. I thought I was being fired or something. As soon as the door was shut behind me, he simply said xxx is dead, sorry. Those were his exact words. I thought he was kidding, and sat there in shock for several seconds before he asked me if I was ok. No I am not ok. I have to find out from you of all people, and how you tell me is simply she's dead, sorry? He would not let me leave work, so I called my husband to drive up and literally take me home. I left my car there for over a week, too distraught to get it. Her death was so unexpected, and so preventable. I look back and know she was not herself and that is what haunts me to this day."

'I reunited with a band i used to play in. We traveled to Bogota Colombia where we met new friends, reconnected with old ones, and played a successful show as well as made a recording.'

"For years I played bass in a a fairly popular band that toured around the world but stopped a few years ago. This last July the band reformed and traveled to Bogota, Colombia to play a show. It was fun and a bit surreal to reunite and work with the other members after all the time off. It was also pretty humorous to see how quickly we all settled in to our old behaviors. Traveling as a group can be stressful especially when you have to transport instruments that the TSA views with suspicion and attempts to disassemble, which is what happened to me. Thankfully I was able to get everything working for the concert. We had a full day in Bogota before the show, which we spent hanging out with a promoter with whom we had worked before on a previous trip. He took us to local restaurants and record stores which we never would have stumbled on by ourselves. Then that evening there was a party at a record store in kind of a hipster area of town. After that we headed to a small jazz club where the drummer from the band we were sharing the bill with was playing. It was a small cafe with a prominently displayed triptych of chairman Mao. There are very good painters in Bogota and there are very elaborate murals to be seen everywhere and even the graffiti approaches high art. The show was a double bill with another band and took place in a very large 5000 seat auditorium, even though neither band had the capacity to draw that many people. Even though the whole organization was very professionally run, sound check seemed to last forever and resulted in my not being able to have lunch with an old friend who I hadn't seen for years. But the concert itself went well there was a good showing on the ground floor seats, but the balconies remained unused. Afterwards I was able to meet up with my friend and go out for some drinks. The day after the show was spent in the studio collaborating with the band with whom we had shared the bill, and felt like equal parts work and social occasion. Some friends of the other band who are foodie types, prepared a meal for everyone, and there was plenty of beer and wine and general frivolity. Our last day in Bogota was open so the guitarist and keyboardist and I went to the National museum, which is a sprawling, long and narrow building with lots of interactive exhibits on everything about Colombian culture past and present. Afterwards we had lunch at a Peruvian restaurant which, ironically was some of the best food we had in Colombia. That was followed by lots of walking through flea markets and street fairs that spring up during the weekend. Then it was time to make our way to the airport for our red eye flight back to New York."

'My best friend visits me from out-of-state for the first time in years for my birthday. We have a special dinner and drinks to celebrate, she gets to meet my partner for the first time, and we spend a few days together hanging out.'

'My best friend, whom I haven\'t seen in over five years, called me a few weeks before my birthday and told me, "I wanted it to be a surprise, but I don\'t know your schedule, so I\'m just going to tell you now. I\'m coming to see you for your birthday!" I was shocked and thrilled! We talk and text and email, but we haven\'t been able to see each other since before she had her son, as she lives several states away now. The day finally came. She was on her way! She texted when she arrived at the airport and then again when she had gathered her things and was on the way. A short while later, I saw the car pull into my driveway and I flew to the door. There she was! Different, but the same. We hugged and maybe we both cried just a little. I got to show her my house that I am very proud to have been able to finally purchase after many years of saving. We got to hang out and just talk, for the first time in forever, face-to-face. She had arranged for us to have a special dinner at a really nice restaurant that we\'d had both been wanting to try. My partner was with us too. I think having him there made it even more special, since they\'re both such important parts of my life. He thought it was so cute to see us together and to finally meet her after all these years. We had an amazing dinner, a few drinks, a lot of laughs, and we got to spend several days together, just hanging out. I\'ll remember this experience for a long time.'

'I got my car serviced and there was an error made on adjusting a part, which caused the car to stall. I was disappointed, but also glad they discovered it quickly and no accident or injury occurred.'

"Recently I got my car serviced. I noticed the air conditioner wasn't blowing cool air. So I took it to a chain mechanic company near my location. After the car was checked, I was quoted a price of a major part that needed fixing with work needed. I decided to go ahead with getting it done, since AC is something we need in the car, especially in summer time. The work was done in a few hours, and we went to pick up the car. As we left the shop, my car stalled and wouldn't drive. I had driven out on a main roadway with lots of traffic. Thankfully, we didn't have an accident, and the car behind me was able to stop when I stalled. I drove very slowly around the block back to the shop and informed them of the problem. They checked and apparently had not tightened or adjusted a part well, which caused the issue. I was very disappointed and let them know that their error could have caused an accident or worse. However, I was glad they were able to adjust it quickly and then we were on our way. I often think about what happened and how it may have turned out badly. Thankfully, nothing major happened. It was quite a scare."

'My mom and I got lost in the city of Brisbane Australia. Hilarity and anxiety ensues when my mom figures out a way for us to get un-lost.'

"My mom and I were traveling in Australia by ourselves. We were in our rental car and driving around the town of Brisbane. We got lost and were very confused as to which way to go because the sun was setting and we were tired from a long day of sightseeing. I was exceedingly nervous as the area we were in didn't look very safe that we had driven into. At the time, I was driving and my mom was navigating us using a map. I was getting more and more upset mostly from fear. My mom kept telling me to call down but I couldn't. She finally told me to pull the car over and we were in the process of trading places. As she got into the driver's side of the car, she actually drove off and left me there on the street corner before I could get in! I had left my phone in my purse inside the car as we were changing seats. I had no way to contact anyone and I was beyond freaking out. She wasn't gone that long, but if felt like a lifetime! She figured out where to go and came back and got me, but i was completely freaked out by that point. I can laugh about it now but then I thought I was going to die. I honestly wished she hadn't done that to me, but in her fear and anxiety of the situation she told me later that did what she thought was best in the moment."

"Some friends and I went rock climbing. One of my friends fell 20 ft to the ground, and broke his leg. He couldn't use it for a while, but was okay."

"My friends and I went to a local climbing spot that we like to frequent. It was a regular day and everyone seemed to be doing well , and we were having a fun time. I was doing a route, and there was a certain section that I couldn't get past, so my buddy decided to give it a shot. He is one of the better climbers in our group, so we didn't think it would be too hard for him. He started up confidently, and was climbing with ease. Out of the blue he lost grip with one of his hands. This rarely happened to him, and as we were watching it felt like slow motion. He fell about 20 feet off the rock face and hit the ground. We heard a loud crack when he hit the ground , and knew instantly what happened. He broke his leg. We all rushed to his aid, and tried to support the broken leg as best we could. We had no choice but to help him down the hill which was quite a distance. We ended up making it back to the car, and we drove him to the hospital. We were all very worried about him, but the doctor assured us he would be fine. We have all been very careful since that day."

"I went to the park and took my dog. I was able to see my adopted brother and sister. I hadn't seen them in a long time. One of my adopted sister's friends was there."

'One day I took my dog to a park. The park is near the beach in the city where I live. It was a weekend day so I had plenty of time to relax and walk my dog at the park. I have 2 adopted siblings - a brother and a sister - that live near the park and I just so happened to see my adopted brother. He was skateboarding at the park. I sent a message to our adopted sister and she was able to come to the park to see me and my dog also. My sister had a friend with her. Her friend had spent the night. I sent them to get smoothies for all of us. The smoothie store is near the park. I am not able to see my adopted siblings very much because of family dysfunction, but the day made me very happy. My adopted brother did a special skateboard move just for me and I was able to videotape him on my phone. They were happy to see me. My dog was extremely happy to see them. I was overjoyed to see that they were doing well.'

"I visited my family in Holland for my parents' 50th wedding anniversary, after not having seen them for four years. I made a picture collage for my parents of when they were younger, and gave them framed as a gift. The day of the anniversary we spend it together as a family and had a lovely time."

"In May of this year I was able to go to Holland and visit with my family. It was particularly memorable because it was my parents 50th wedding anniversary. Because of different circumstances in my personal life, it had been 4 years since I had seen my family in person. The last time I saw my nephew he was just 9 months old, now he was almost five. My other nephew was just a boy last time I saw him, now he's a senior in high school. It made me realize how time flies and how much I have missed not being near my family for the past 4 years. For my parents anniversary I had found some old pictures of both my mom and dad when they were younger, and a few from when they just started dating. I restored these pictures in Photoshop, printed them out and made a picture collage that I gave them as a gift. It made my mom emotional seeing these pictures of how young they were, and I think she was sad because life is so short. One of the pictures in particular was difficult for her, because it was one of my mom and my aunt when they were just teenagers, and my aunt has recently passed away. My mom was so happy though with this gift, and anytime someone came over she proudly showed it to them. It made me happy I put in the effort of giving a personalized gift. For their actual anniversary, the whole family got together and we went for a hike in a nearby forest. After the hike we had dinner at a pancake house and finished at my parents' house for dessert. I will treasure this memory forever."

'I recently graduated college, and went on a trip to Zion national park with my family. We hiked many trails, shopped in town, and dined at a few restaurants.'

'I am finally a college graduate! I am so excited to have gotten my degree and now I can go out in the real world and be a real person. But first, it was time to celebrate. After graduation, my family decided to go on a vacation to Zion National Park. I can\'t believe that in all my years of going to college in Utah, I had never made it to Zion. Well, here was my chance. It was soooo beautiful! We hiked many of the trails, including the "Narrows", which was killer, but really awesome. We even saw some wild animals, which was so cool and unexpected! It was so nice to be out in fresh air and to just clear my thoughts. We ate at a few great restaurants too. I love me some good food! And shopping was also fantastic. My parents bought me a couple of graduation gifts, including a beautiful necklace. I love it, and when I wear it I will always remember this trip. It was so inspiring being out in nature and I really appreciate this time I had with my family.'

'This is a story about an unexpected stop while heading home on a road trip. We stop at a town we have never seen before and end up staying the holiday there and overnight as well.'

"About a month ago during the holidays we went on a trip. It was around christmas time so normally we are at home unwrapping gifts and things of that nature. This year we decided to do something a little bit different. we thought going on a road trip would be something of interest. So that is what we decided to do during the holidays. Only thing is we didn't know where we wanted to go during our road trip. So we ended up going to a random city that wasn't over 4 hours from our home. The place we decided to go was unexpected we didn't know much at all about the city. we ended up stopping in a town we have never heard or seen before. It turned out to be a lot to do in this town. we liked it so much that we stayed for the holiday and overnight as well. It was a very random experience. Neither of us knew what to expect from the situation. The town and the people in it were cool enought to make us stay longer than we expected. Overall it was a great little holiday."

'My uncle, whom I was very close to got very sick. He was admitted to the hospital with pneumonia. While there, the doctors found two spots on his lung that looked like cancer. He passed away while in the hospital.'

'The event that happened to me within the last three to six months that I remember the most is the death of my uncle whom I was very close to. He got very sick with pneumonia, and went to the hospital. When he was in the hospital they found two spots on his lung. When he was first admitted to the hospital he was spitting up some blood but everyone thought it was because of the pneumonia. While he was at the hospital the bleeding got much worse. He started spitting up so much blood that the white wash rags at the hospital were completely red. We knew that he had one spot on his lung that the doctors were following, but the second spot came as a surprise. He was never officially diagnosed with lung cancer but we know that is what he had. The bleeding got so bad that they had to give him a suction hose to keep it cleared out. He got to where he could not breath at all and his oxygen was turned up as high as it would go. He never wanted to be put on life support so the family just stayed by his side as all the machines were turned off and he drew his last breath. I was devastated having to watch someone that was so strong and loved life so much take his last breath. My uncle was my last living relative other than cousins. He was our family elder. I grew up with him and my aunt being just right down the road from me for over 30 years. Life goes on, but it certainly will be a lot sadder without him.'

"My brother and I took my kids to a baseball game. It was also my youngest daughter's first baseball game."

"When school ended about 3 months ago, my brother scored free tickets to our local baseball team's game that night. His wife couldn't make it, so he asked me to come along. He had one extra ticket that my wife agreed my youngest daughter should take. She had never been to a baseball game before, so the kids agreed it was fair she go. When we arrived, the kids each got a free bobblehead as a door giveaway. They happily tapped the tops of their heads to make them bounce as we found our seats. My daughter was a bit bored after the first few innings. She did get very interested as the mascot made its way over to our section though. His bright yellow fur made her eyes dazzle. We got a nice picture of our kids with the mascot together. After the game ended, which was quite close in score, the after show began. Fireworks blasted bright in the sky. They scared my daughter a little, but she was happy to see them end. On the way home, my daughter was falling asleep in her car seat. She sleepily mumbled that this was the best day ever."

'I went on a family outing to a water park. While there, I conquered my fear of some of the rides and had a lot of fun in the process!'

"This past summer, my family and I went to a water park. The trip was a last-minute one - I wasn't even going to go, but I'm glad that I did. Actually, I haven't gone to a theme park in years prior to this outing. Super fun, I know. Anyway, the day started off pretty well. I was dreading the wait times to get into the park, but they weren't so bad. The lines for some of the rides were crazy long, though! For most of the day, I sat on the sidelines and just watched the kids in my family play in the water, but eventually the adults asked me to get on some rides with them. I protested at first, but eventually they got me to get in line to a ride with them. And not just any ride, but one of the tallest/scariest rides in the park! While waiting at the lower-end of the stairs, I was fairly calm, but as we got closer and closer to the top, some fear set in. I couldn't turn back because we were so far up and too many people behind us. There was no other way to get down besides riding down that long, dark tube. Once it was our turn to go down the slide, I gripped onto the handles of the tube as tightly as possible, and next thing I know, we were being pushed down the ride. I closed my eyes and screamed on the way down, but, you know what? I did it. I conquered my fear, and it was actually pretty fun! I went on multiple rides after that one, because if I can handle one of the scariest ones in the park, I can handle them all."

'My wife and I went to Paris. We saw Notre Dame Cathedral. We experienced a mass there just before part of it burned down.'

"For a trip, me and my wife went to Paris. It was so great to see all of the sights that we have seen in books or on the internet! We did all the things that we wanted to do and ate so much. We went to a nice little bistro that it outside of the city limits and had a nice dinner there. The coffee was fantastic as well! We had seen a lot of people talking about the mass at the Notre Dame Cathedral. It was one of those things that we knew we wanted to do when we came to Paris. We ended up researching it and finding out when the perfect time was to do that. We went on Sunday and I can't tell you how special that was! It felt like being in a movie! The building was beautiful and the sounds coming from the voices in the Notre Dame Cathedral was magical. I couldn't believe how special the whole experience was. Thankfully, we got to do that before the building had burned down. That was heartbreaking to see. It is always something horrible when a place you held in your heart gets damaged."

'My partner and I went on a sunset mountain hike while travelling in Costa Rica. Some local dogs randomly joined us as we began, leading us through a beautiful and lush path as the sun fell.'

"Four months ago, my boyfriend and I were spending time exploring Costa Rica. It was our first time traveling internationally. Costa Rica was such an amazing place to choose for travel as the scenery is beautiful. There's one evening that really sticks out to me when I reminisce about our time together. To start, we left our hotel to go explore the great outdoors. We decided to trek out on an evening hike to get a wonderful view of the sunset. The weather was warm with clear skies. Everything seemed perfect. There was a path that led up a mountain side, where we thought we could find the best view. Unfortunately, when we had nearly reached the top, our view was blocked by greenery. That's when something extraordinary happened. Suddenly, we were greeted by a pack of local dogs. While a bit frightened at first, I was quickly calmed by their serene and welcoming presence. It seemed like they wanted us to follow them. Although a bit hesitant, we decided that we should be open to this experience as it was a new adventure to enjoy. After trekking onwards, we could see this beautiful path that aligned perfectly with the setting sun. Surrounded by the person I love, with local dogs, watching a spectacular sunset was the icing to a perfect vacation. I'll never forget that moment."

'I was very anxious about moving in with my boyfriend after being alone for many years. After soul searching and discovering that this was the right man for me, I decided to take a leap of faith and make the move.'

"About three months ago, I took a big leap of faith and moved in with my boyfriend of two years. This was a huge event in my life. I have been very hesitant about getting involved with someone new after my divorce in 2010, which was painful and financially devastating. My boyfriend, Mark, is different than anyone I have ever known. We are an older couple, me being 52 and him being 60. He's never lived with a girlfriend or been married. For me, I did not want to be involved with someone who would dominate my life, or try to control me. I've been alone for several years now and have come to appreciate my independence. Push came to shove for me last spring when Mark's mother, who he was a caretaker for, went into an assisted living facility. This left Mark alone and financially destititute. I made the leap of faith and moved in with him. I am now the breadwinner for our new family and he is looking for work. Its not always easy, but we are very happy and live a quiet life. We plan to get married this coming winter. There was a happy ending to this story."

"I found a dog wandering the road late at night. Got it on a leash, took it home and fed it. Then we went out on a walk where the dog led us back to the area it's family lived, spoke to a neighbor and located it's exact home."

"I found a dog while I was out walking late at night. The dog was just wondering around by itself without a leash. I thought that was kind of weird, so I decided to get it on a leash and to take it home. It seems that dog was underfed and skinny, so I got it some food. It munched down the food ravenously like it hasn't ate in a while. I'm glad that I fed it, but my home's no place to keep pets. I rented the place out and the owner was clear that no pets are allow there. So in the end, despite wanting to keep the dog, I had to take it back to where I found it. Once there, I asked around and managed to find the owner of the dog. The owner didn't seem to care much that I got his dog back, but he took it back in regardless. There wasn't much I could do. So I just left. But to this day I still think of the dog and whether it was okay or not being with that owner. I hope it's not being underfed again. I just hope that at least it's still in the house and not out somewhere wondering around."

'I traveled from North Carolina to California by car for a week long road trip. Along the way I saw states i had never been in such as Oklahoma, Kansas, and New Mexico, and saw a lot of cool landmarks. It was an event that gave me new perspective and I will remember forever.'

'M journey bagan on a chilly morning. i had lost my cousin in a road accident. she lived in california and we lived in north calorina. we had to use a car beacause most airlines were booked. By the time Fisher got in her yellow Volkswagen, the sky had transformed again: It was somehow both shrouded and glowing. Many other residents had learned to keep a "go bag" packed by the door, with water, medications and copies of important documents; a woman from the local Fire Safe Council, a volunteer known affectionately as the Bag Lady, held frequent workshops demonstrating how to pack one. But Fisher was indecisive and moving inefficiently. It had taken her nearly 40 minutes to commit to leaving, wrangle the dogs and scramble to grab a few haphazard possessions. It was now 8:45. So many calls were being placed to 911 that a dispatcher interrupted one man reporting a fire alongside Skyway Road — the busiest street in Paradise and the town\'s primary evacuation route — with a terse, "Yeah, sir, we have fire everywhere." Officials had started issuing evacuation orders about an hour earlier; Fisher\'s neighborhood was among those told to clear out first. Her street was plugged with cars. A thick line of them crept forward at the end of her driveway. There are five routes out of Paradise. The three major ones spread south like the legs of a tripod, passing through the heart of town and continuing downhill toward Chico and the valley below. Fisher lived in the northern part of town, on the easternmost leg of the tripod, Pentz Road; she rented a bedroom from a woman who worked at a nursing home in town. It baffled her to see that all the cars in front of her house were heading north on Pentz, cramming themselves away from the center of Paradise, away from the valley, and further uphill. The opposite lane, meanwhile, was totally empty. It seemed obvious to Fisher that, if the fire was approaching from somewhere in the canyon behind her house, there would be plenty of Paradise left in which to safely wait it out. So she pushed across the traffic, into the empty lane. But she barely went 100 yards before a driver sitting in the jam alongside her rolled down his window and explained that Pentz was blocked up ahead.'

'I did a phone interview with a new companyThey took me to a steak dinner for a meet and greetThey extended me an offerI accepted the job and gave notice'

"Recently I began a job search. I searched online on several websites. About two weeks in, I found an ideal opportunity. I had a lot of experience for this job so I applied. I did a phone interview with the manager. He liked me a lot. I had worked with two of the employees at that company in my current job as a vendor. Those employees were familiar with me and my work ethic and knowledge level. This helped me gain goodwill. The boss, two of the people on the team I'd be joining, and one person on another team flew in to meet me. They took me to a steak dinner where we got to know each other. A few weeks later, I received an offer. I acccepted the offer on Monday. Today I gave my notice today at my job. I had been there for many years and my colleagues are sad. It is bittersweet but I feel it will be a good move."

'My grandmother passed away years ago. And it caused me to be depressed without even knowing it. I was still able to get through it.'

"When my grandmother died two years ago, it affected me deeper than I knew. I wondered why I didn't cry at first, I think I was in shock. It really didn't seem real. I tried to go on with my routines and schedules to keep my mind occupied, but things slowly began changing. I started to not care about things as much as I did before. I began to withdraw from my friends. They would call and ask me to do things, but I would make up an excuse as to why I couldn't go. I would be busy with schoolwork or studying, but in truth I just wanted to stay at home and watch TV. My appearance began to suffer as well. There were many days when I didn't even want to take a shower and sometimes wouldn't. One of my closest friends started to become worried about me and told me that she thought I might be suffering from depression. Of course, I scoffed and laughed it off. One night about a month ago, I began to sob uncontrollably and began to feel really desperate and sad. I called my friend (the one that told me she thought I might be depressed) and talked to her for a couple of hours. After speaking about perhaps beginning counseling, I started to think that it might be a good idea. With my friend's help and the advice of my therapist, I was able to get through this surprising, and painful experience with depression. I feel I am now better prepared to handle these feelings if they were to come up in my life again."

"I lost a huge tennis wager on a French Open tennis match after facing a ton of losses in the previous months. I had promised myself that I would be a spectator of these matches only but I couldn't resist."

"Two months ago, I lost a huge wager on a French Open tennis match. I've been setting a lot of wagers over the last few months and have been facing a ton of losses. I can't believe I did this to myself. I even promised myself that I would only be a spectator at the French Open. How am I going to recover the funds that I lost? I know I have an addiction and I think it's time I get some help for it. I'm never going to save enough money to buy a new car or a new house if I keep doing this. I might have to stop going to these events. I seem to be tempted just being in a situation where I can make a bet. At least if I'm at home, I can't be as tempted. I wonder if I can find someone to talk to. I really want to start saving money instead and I am not helping myself in any way. I'll have to look for more work in order to get some more income. I just can't be tempted to bet that money too. So here's me saying it right now. I need help. I don't know where and how I'll get it yet, but I'm starting with step one and saying that I need help controlling my temptations and setting up long-term financial stability."