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"My best friend in the world and I got into a fight about cleaning the apartment where we both lived. She slapped me in the face and we haven't spoken since."

"My best friend in the world hit me during a fight a couple of months ago. It was an open-handed, angry slap on the face. Followed by frozen shared-shock. It all started when we were arguing over who should be doing what tasks around the apartment. I was living with her for a few months until I could get on my feet, because I was new to the city. And at a distance, with enough time between interactions- the bossy, assured nature she would dictate our time together in, was almost a comfort. I really liked having her be that for us, and I think she really enjoyed having me being compliant and helpful. But when a few times a month became everyday, the tension began to build. Perhaps I would offer to take the dogs out a few days she was busy getting ready in the morning. Then the next week she would ask me every day to take her dogs out and to also feed them. When the clothes sitting in the washer were blocking me from doing my laundry, I would go ahead and finish out her loads of laundry. Then the next week she would ask me to do her laundry for her. It would even be things that weren't house care related. If she didn't want to be alone doing something, she would ask me to accompany her to do it-perhaps watching her hang up her clothes, or sit with her while she studied. Well one particular night it came to a head when she asked me to come help her clean up the kitchen. I had not dirtied up the kitchen, and I didn't want to clean it up. And when she would ask for help doing something-you can bet that meant I was just going to do most if not all of it, and she absolutely used that to her advantage. But this night, I said no. She was so taken aback by this that she got angry with me. I was so offended that she would get mad that I declined to help on this ONE thing that it escalated quickly over the next 40 minutes. We started kitchen-sinking, mudslinging, slandering, defaming each other just specifically calling out every minuscule problem we had with each other over the past month. Until eventually we got up in each other's faces and she slapped me across the face. It's been about 4 months since then, and we still haven't spoken. I just hope that one day we can get past this, because it breaks my heart that such a stupid beginning of a fight has ended in more serious sadness."

'I graduated college this past May with my girlfriend. We were nervous, but it went well and had a great time.'

"About 5 months ago, I graduated from college. It was a rainy day, but I felt great still. My family and my girlfriend's family came to town for our graduation. I felt okay, but my girlfriend was very nervous. We put our gowns on, and went to the auditorium for graduation. We sat down in our section, and talked a bit with the people around us. I remember a few construction majors I took classes with sitting ahead of me, wearing hard hats. They were asked to remove them, unfortunately. Graduation started from the front, with the school of medicine. There was a famous speaker, a comedian, and he was clearly drunk. I saw a few people I knew from high school, and started feeling a bit nervous. As our turn was approaching, we tried to calm down and prepare. Once it was my turn, I felt fine. I walked across the stage, accepted my diploma, and returned to my seat. Graduation concluded, and we were very happy. Afterwards, we went to a nice restaurant with her family."

"My family suffered when my husband's work truck contents was stolen out of the trailer. After about 2 months to resolve, the nightmare was over. However, by that time, we had to give up the truck to maintain a household of 5."

"In March of this year, my family suffer a great deal from something, I believe, was not our fault. I am a stay-at-home mom with 3 kids and my husband is a truck driver. At the time he was an owner operator and was taking a freight load to it's destination. Over in the night at a truck stop, my husband's trailer was robbed of some of the contents, which was boxes of frozen chicken. Not all was taken but a few boxes were. The truck stop, of course had no cameras, and he ended up having to file a police report and file an insurance claim. Since there was an insurance claim, my husband had to kept the load in his trailer until all investigation was over. With that being said, this investigation ended up taking over 2 months to resolve. First, it was trying to get an insurance claim person to look at the remaining contents in the trailer to see if they were still viable and can be sold off. Then, there was a back and forth for a moment, trying to determine if the insurance even covered frozen chicken. During these 2 months, still, my husband was not able to work because there was a load still on his truck. We blew through our bank accounts and our savings trying to maintain our bills and a household of 5. This put such a strain on our household and bank accounts. We have never experienced anything remotely close to this in our lives. To put an end to this story, after about 2 months, he was able to unload the contents in his trailer, however, by that time, we did not have any more money to maintain the daily expenses of operating a truck and had to give it up."

'A routine surgery went wrong and my wife almost lost her life or her leg. A drastic surgery saved her life and leg, but it has taken months to recover. The leg will likely never be completely the same.'

"I took my wife to the hospital because she was feeling poorly, and has a history of heart trouble. Her cardiologist came to see her that evening at the hospital and decided to do a heart catherization. As a result of the procedure, the major artery in her leg became blocked, and she lost feeling in her leg as it began turning blue. The cardiologist injected her with a large amount of blood thinner which helped get some circulation to the leg and sent her over to a different hospital which had a vascular surgeon. The surgeon had to do a somewhat radical procedure of cutting deeply down both sides of her lower leg, as well as locating the blockage and removing it. The leg had been without circulation long enough that swelling was going to be severe, and without the cutting, the swelling would have killed the nerve in the leg. It took 4 to 5 months for her to recover enough to walk without aid of a wheelchair or walker. In that time I had to take care of her in between nurse visits, including all home maintenance (cleaning, cooking, laundry, etc). I was confined to home as well as she was because she couldn't be left alone. It was a tragic experience for her, and a shocking one for me to see the extent of the surgical damage and the slow healing process. The process for my wife was excruciating. Nurses came by every day for 2 weeks to change the dressing on her leg. Then for months after, twice per week. Also, once a week for months my wife had to go to a clinic to be evaluated by a wound specialist. At times the treatment was very hard to endure, especially the wound vac which seemed to cause as much damage as it did good."

'I was part of a large awards ceremony for the best books in the romance writing industry. For the first time in the many decades the award has been around, an African American won the award.'

"I went to an award's ceremony that was for writers in the romance genre. It was at a large national romance conference in New York City. We were at a large ritzy hotel in New York City. The award is called the Ritas and it is the most prestigious industry award ceremony in the genre. We all got dressed up to go to the ceremony. I wore an evening gown with beading and sparkles. Other people wore evening gowns as well. I was part of it because I am part of this organization and I was up for a sister award. It was so excited to be there and have people notice that I was up for an award. I am also among the group that judges these books. During the conference there was a lot of talk about increasing diversity. Although the award had been around for decades, an African American had never won an award. It was a very big deal. During this ceremony it happened. An Afraican American won, and everyone cheered so much. People were crying. After the ceremony, we all took part in a large party. It was a very memorable evening."

'My dear cat died and I miss her an think about her everyday. We buried her by the river. I have asked that my ashes be placed near her burial site when I die and I find this comforting.'

"Ms. Kitty died and it is horrible shame and I seriously miss her every single day. I miss her sitting in my lap getting pets and snuggling into my arms. I miss her trying to sit on my keyboard while I'm trying to work. In short, I miss her more and more every day. When I feel really bad, I head down to the river to visit where we buried her. I talk to her, and tell her about my day. It makes me feel more comfortable to talk to her like I used to do. I decided that when I die, I want to be cremated. Not only that, I want my ashes to be interred near the spot where my cat is buried by the river. It is a great comfort to feel that she would be near me for all eternity. I can't think of a better way to hold her memory in my mind than this. Those who know me will probably find this silly. But it doesn't matter what they think. All that matters is how I feel about it."

"I felt sad for not enjoying my brother's birthday party with him as he was not with us. Suddenly on the birthday he made a surprise visit and made me emotional."

"This incident happened nearly five months ago. My brother's birthday was nearing. He was with us for every birthday. But this time as he was in another country he was unable to come. We contacted him to come to home but he said that he was busy in his work. We really felt sad to enjoy his birthday without him. As he was not coming, we didn't arrange for any party at home. His birthday arrived. That day morning door bell was pressed by someone on early morning. To my surprise it was my brother. I was stunned for some minutes. I shed my tears after seeing him. Then he consoled me and got prepared to enjoy his birthday. Soon we arranged for a birthday party and invited our friends. We enjoyed the surprise party to the core."

'My most memorable event on this vacation was the exploration of forest roads. I love venturing into nature and exploring areas that I have never been before. Finding hidden campsites that I can use in the future was very exciting for me.'

"Over the 4th of July week, I took a much needed vacation with family to one of my favorite destinations in the mountains of North Carolina. I joined family at a campground that was part of the National Forest system. The campground was very busy for the forth of July. While in the mountains, we were able to do a lot of sightseeing and adventure traveling on the back roads of the National forest. Exploring forest roads is one of my favorite activities. We were a also able to ride many mile on the Blue Ridge Parkway which provided many awesome scenic views. Some of the views are the best in the country in my opinion. We also were able to do some gem hunting in some of the local creeks which was a blast. The mountain creeks are filled with garnets and rubies. I found several small garnets to take back home with me as souvenirs. We all had a very enjoyable time playing around in the creeks. The food options in the mountains were unbelievable. Our appetite was taken care of by the likes of BBQ and fresh trout among other things. We have decided that we will return to eat the trout again in the future. We also had grilled hotdogs one night around the campfire which was really nice and relaxing. All in all, this was one of my favorite vacations ever and I can't wait to go back."

"My ex wanted to give a kitty to my son for his 7th birthday. I said yes, and a little Rag Doll kitty made it's way into my home. Now I have three wonderful cats and I'm happy as can be."

"An event that was memorable to me recently is getting a new kitty cat. She was a gift for my seven year old son from his father, he cleared it with me first whether he could get the cat as we already have two. I initially was going to say no, but then he told me that it was a Rag Doll kitty, and I had read a lot about how awesome that breed of cat is. The fact that it was a pure bred cat changed my mind as to whether we should get it. My first two cats are rescues, from a kill shelter and from a vet's office, I told myself I had saved two already and I can give this one a good home too. I told him yes, then we had to almost a month for her to be ready to come to our house. When my ex finally brought her over I had no idea how quickly I would fall in love with her. She's the cutest, fluffiest, little kitty ever, and her personality is so easy to like. She's sweet and cuddly, purrs as soon as you touch her or pick her up, and she looks so happy to be pet. She's also super playful, pick up a toy and she comes running and pounces on it, her favorite toys have feathers on them. She runs and jumps through the air so comically that you can't help but laugh at her antics. She's made a huge impact in my home, the other two kitties have been very accepting of her, after the first day hissings. I love my first two cats to pieces, but neither one of them is a lap kitty. New kitty loves to curl up on my lap and be pet. It makes me so happy to have a kitty that likes to snuggle and be close. I'm very happy that I now have three cats in my home, so is my son, as he likes to say he's a crazy cat boy."

'Story about the birth of my son, The day leading up to, and after. How my labor and delivery went and how he was as a baby.'

"It was early may I was in labor with my son. The contractions started the day before while we were out shopping for last minute things. I tried not to let them bother me to much. That night I started getting lower back pain but paid it no mind. I got an ice pack and heating pad but neither relieved the deep pain. By morning I was ready to go to the hospital. when we got there I was already at 6 cm. It just seems like things went faster after that. I got an epidural which took away most of the pain. I felt a little guilty since I said I wanted to do it naturally. When it came time to push it didn't take long. maybe 5 minutes and my son was finally here. We stayed in the hospital 2 days before coming home. He was a good baby didn't cry much. He was fine not being held when I needed a break."

'I saw a tiny jog being chased by a large dog that was about to attack it. I scooped her up and brought her home. I was able to reunite her with her owners.'

'I moved out to the country in Oklahoma about a year ago. It is sometimes hard for me to see the the animals that are killed on the side of the road or in the road. Is painful to drive past them. But on this day I got an opportunity to help. There was a tiny dog being chased by a large dog on the side of the road and I pulled over and chased the big dog away and scooped up the little dog. I remember the little dog shaking so hard and just being terrified and holding her close to me and feeling her breathing finally slowed just a bit and her shaking stopped just a little bit. She would definitely have been attacked if I had not scooped her up. I took her home with me and then the next day took her to the vet. She was not chipped. But I reached out on Facebook. And finally the owner contacted me. I was able to reunite her with her owners. It turns out that the people who were watching her thought that she had come in and locked up and left. But she was still outside. It was a joyous feeling to see her so happy reunited with her owners everyone was crying it was a great experience.'

'My mother had a heart attack before surgery. I had an anxiety attack but everything turned out to be okay. My life had suddenly stopped and nothing else mattered more than where I was at that moment and how I would react to that single moment.'

"This event happened on August 19th of 2019. My mother had a heart attack before she was supposed to go in for surgery. She was having a laprascopic hysterectomy performed because the doctor found cancerous cells in her ovary. As they were prepping her for surgery, something in the anesthesia caused her heart to stop beating. The doctors and nurses had to restart her heart. I was then told be the doctor what had happened and that she was going to be transferred to another hospital that could better take care of a patient with heart problems. I was distraught and in a state of panic. My mother is my best friend and I couldn't grasp onto the possibility of me losing her. I have multiple anxiety disorders and they all went into full effect. I had a full blown panic attack on the way to the other hospital. I was trying to call my aunt to have her meet me at the other hospital and the call wasn't going through. I actually sat in my car for a few minutes trying to calm myself down knowing that I would have to talk to doctors and nurses. I don't know how but I got myself together enough to be able to be a functioning person. I met the doctors who were taking over her care and they were very helpful. She didn't have any real lasting damage and some of the nurses said that this can happen sometimes with giving anesthesia. We are now rescheduling her hysterectomy surgery for a later date and she is now somewhat normal. I still remember the utter feeling of helplessness and despair at just the thought of losing my mother and my best friend forever. I am still dealing with the emotional fallout from this and would like to feel normal again."

'I went on a trip with a friend. There was some interpersonal conflict that came to a head there, which made the trip a let down overall.'

'I took a trip for work that included a close friend. The trip was for a conference, but then we chose to stay over a couple days, and she brought her daughter along for the trip as well. Overall, the trip went ok, but there were reminders of why our friendship was strained. While I do still care about her, and I believe she still cares about me, the trip cemented the idea that we\'re basically at a point of the friendship ending. While spending time together was nice, there was an air of separation , and almost a wall between us. It\'s easy to understand why. The fact that we attempted a romantic relationship that failed and tried to keep everything normal worked a while, but we can\'t keep that up forever. So we\'re now in a situation where we\'re close but divided, being friends for 15 years can\'t just be cut off, but its almost like it stops now, and we just get to share the past. We got to experience Washington DC together, but I don\'t think It will ever be "our" trip, but rather a trip we both went on. I\'ll at least have the memories of the museums and memorials for myself. In terms of things that happened, we had many periods of silence while even being in the same room, and at times it seems she didn\'t want to be around me. As I could, I would go do my own thing so she wasn\'t getting upset, but it was painful to do so. Realizing you\'re not wanted isn\'t a fun experience. There was never a situation where she said I needed to go away, but it was made uncomfortable by the way she acted. It\'s hopefully something that will heal with time, but I don\'t know that it will. It\'s causing me to look into new jobs so that I can remove myself from the situation.'

'My nephew was invilved in an accident.It was so bad he almost lost his life. He was admitted in hospital for ten days. He was finally discharged after recovery.'

"Four months ago my nephew was involved in an accident. It was so bad he almost lost his life. He was admitted in the hospital for ten days. I was so worried about him and visited him every day. I was really worried about my brother and his wife too because it has to be so hard to watch a child go through something like that. I am glad he was discharged and has now made a full recovery. I really worry that nothing ever happens like that again. Makes me think about my son and the kind of things I won't be able to protect him. The accident my nephew was involved in wasn't his fault and there was no way for him to prevent it. It just makes you think about how unpredictable life really is. There are so many things in life that you just can not control. Some times it is hard to find hope that my son will be able to be lucky enough to avoid such circumstances as my nephew. I think it does help to know that my nephew is fine because it gives me a little hope that things will be okay even if my son gets into some unexpected accident. I still check in on my nephew every week or so just so he knows I am thinking about him. I think this really showed him how much he is loved."

'This is a summary of my dilemma of what to do after I received news of my dad being admitted to the hospital while I was playing golf. I chose to wait till we were done instead of asking the rest of the group to leave the course after having been there for 30 minutes.'

"A few months ago, I was going to play golf with several of my friends. The course we chose to play was about 30 minutes from my house, and we took two or three cars to get there. Within the first 30 minutes after we arrived, on the first or second hole, I received a text message from my sister stating that my dad was being taken to the hospital by ambulance with what was thought to be a heart issue. I continued to play, while waiting for further updates. Around the fourth or fifth hole, my wife called to make sure that I had heard the news. I told her that I had, but I didn't know any more information. Since I had ridden with other guys, I struggled with what to do. If I was at a course near my house, I would've just stopped playing. My parents live about an hour away from my house. If I chose to leave, that meant that I would need to convince two or three other guys to stop playing as well. I decided to stay at the course, and wait for further updates. About halfway through the day, I received word that he had been admitted to the hospital for observation. I let my mom know the situation, and that I would be there as soon as I could. She understood my dilemma. When I got returned home, I immediately left for the hospital, and was able to hang around until he was released from the hospital the next day."

'Gas company had detected a leak. It took them 3 weeks to notify us. Then they said it would take another 3 weeks to get it repaired. It was an anxious long wait.'

'One day in late June the gas company rang my doorbell. "There is a slight gas leak under the sidewalk in front of your property," he said. "We discovered it May 31st. A crew will come do the repair around July 15th." My eyebrow went up. He saw it, and added, "it\'s a very, very small leak, so it\'s ok to wait. We use a machine that can detect parts per million. Yours is something like 5 parts per million." Should I trust them? This gas company was the one responsible for the San Bruno explosion in 2010, and also the Northern California wildfires last year. This company is bankrupt and owes something like $20 billion. Maybe they are being more proactive now in looking for leaks to avoid more lawsuits. But should I trust them? What option do I have? I\'m no expert. July 15th was a long time to wait. Would I get blown up if Fourth Of July fireworks set off the gas? No, no, he assured me. This guy seemed to know what he was doing. Ok, I\'ll wait. The following week the little colored flags were planted to mark the gas lines, electric lines, phone lines, cable TV line, and water pipe, very colorful to match the American flags on Independence Day. Tick tock. Tick tock. Nerves were just beneath the surface. Finally the day came, and they showed up in force with several huge trucks with digging equipment. It took them from 8:30 am till 8 pm to plug the leak. Sigh of relief all around.'

'A life of failure at all I tried culminated in a early summer day in the local recreational baseball league. We won the local title and felt accomplished. Failure turned into success for once.'

"It was late summer and I was still in local baseball recreational league for adults. The team was late for the game as our bus was stuck in the busy Long Beach traffic of the early summer. The weather was light and gray and it was the kind of day where you wake up sleepy no matter the amount of hours that you slept the night before. The team had been thrilled to be here in the first place. We were subpar team the year before and all of a sudden we were at the top of our game being able to compete with the best teams in the district. I had spent the night before just watching old dodger games trying to get pitching tips from the great Hideo Nomo. I was raised watching him and wanted to pitch just like him. My coaches told me otherwise though and let me know it is not a good thing because it hurts your back in the long run. We had arrived at Milikan Park. I didn't want to get off the bus as I was nervous as can be. We went in the locker rooms and I dressed up and was ready to pitch. We got on the field and surprisingly the stands were half empty. I was told that the fans weren't being let in because of a riot that happened there. Once the stands filled up I was up to pitch at the top of the 1st inning. I got on the mound. Surprisingly I was ready. I struck out the side in the first inning. I feel like overall my past history of failures lead me this inning and the rest of the game. I was tired of failing at all I tried and I wanted something new for a change. At the bottom of the ninth we were down 3-2 as the relief pitcher had let in 3 runs at the top of the inning. We managed to battle back and win it off a two run blast by my childhood friend Jim. It was what we used to dream of as kids. Winning anything together. It didn't happen in the pros but it felt like it did. We never made it to the majors, so this is the best memory I have of the game of baseball and it happened 3 months ago."

'After four long years of college, my friends and I crossed the finish time. There were no more exams to worry about and no more homework assignments to worry about. We are all ready to start the next chapter in our lives.'

"The past two months have seemed like a blur, but in the past two weeks, everything seemed to go in slow motion. Leading up to our graduation, every day was jam packed with things to do. We were cramming for exams, touching up final papers, analyzing data for research projects. And that was just for school. We also had to find time to apply for jobs, so many jobs. And of course we couldn't neglect each other. We went out every weekend. We were finally all 21 and didn't have to worry about fake ids, so we really took advantage of the full range of bar selections across the city. We felt like we were finally growing up and finally ready to enter the real world. Graduation day two weeks ago was the culmination of all of that. We partied like we never had before, and we finally didn't have to stress about waking on time the next day battling a hangover to get to class. After that, though, the dorms closed. We all had to leave. I went back to my family's house for a while, and the whole world seemed to stop. As adult as I felt the past few months, I was whisked back to childhood by my parents, controlling my every move once again. I still didn't have a job, but felt like I was running out of places to apply. My friends from high school mostly weren't around, either, so days passed so slowly. I have to admit, I enjoyed it at first, finally free of the deadlines, but without the friends and life I'd built in college, all the fun things I wished I could do with my free time just weren't around to enjoy anymore. This past week has been so hard. I hardly bothered to leave my room much less the house. But you know what, just when I felt like I needed to resign to this being my life, days of reminiscing for college, I got a call! Last night, I got an interview for a job at my top choice of firms. I'm so excited, and it's really brought my life back into focus. Shopping tomorrow, interview prepping on Wednesday, and if all goes well, my first real job next month!"

'The get-together with my best friends was the best part of my year, thus far. Our week-long vacation was quite memorable. The four of us laughed, cried, and reminisced about our 25-year relationship - all while engaging in really fun beach-side activities and enjoying the low-country.'

"Today, I got together with my best friends. We met in high school, and almost right away became good friends. We haven't seen each other in a long time, and that's why we decided to come out for a good vacation. It was a lot of fun, and we did many things together. The beach was nice. And the weather was great. We swam, and told each other stories. My friends and I even build a sand castle together, even though I thought that was a little childish. But we had fun. And that's the most important part. We haven't seen each other in a while. So we had a lot to say. We enjoyed our time there, and had a blast. It was great. I'm never going to forget the time we spend together."

'I went to the philippines last week and I got lost. A met a stranger that helped me out and we became friends.'

"Dear diary,I just had the most terrifying yet amazing experience on my trip to the Philippines last week. So I was with a tour guide taking a tour of the city when I somehow got separated from the rest of the group. At first I wasn't bothered, I figured out I would run into them pretty quickly. But as time went on I realized that they had most likely left me behind. I started to panic a bit, I had no idea where I was and no idea how to even figure out my current location. Even if I did, I probably would not have figured out how to get back to the hotel I was staying at. At first I thought it was a good idea to just wait here where I last saw the group, hoping that they would possibly come back looking for me if someone noticed I was lost. But then I decided to at least take a walk around, maybe noticing a landmark or something that would help me figure out what to do next. I guess I looked pretty foolish, like a tourist, because a native Philippine approached me and asked if I needed any help. I can't even tell you how glad I was that someone actually decided to come over to help me out. I'm really shy, so I have problems talking to strangers on my own. I explained to her my situation and she gladly decided to help me out. I told her the name of my hotel and she instantly new where to go. The ride on her bike was some of the most fun memories I ever had in my life. She pointed out a lot of the history and culture of her city on our way to my hotel, our conversation was entertaining. When we finally got there we decided to hook up the next day. She'd show me around the city more, which was was fine with me. The next few days we hung out together was pretty damn fun. I can't believe I actually made a good friend a a foreign country."

'that day i was walked through the roadside i saw a child begging for food . i gave him some food.He was very happy'

"Last week I was faced an emotional and heartening event in my life. That day I was walked through the roadside. At that time I saw that a children was begging to peoples for some food. I was very upset to saw that. In our world now a days so many children's beg for food and we are wasting the food. It is not good to our living world. When I saw that i ran to the pass of the child. Then I brought some food items and gave it to him. He was very happy. I saw that a cute smile is on his face. When i saw that my mind is filled with lots of joy and happiness. and I was asking to him where is your house. He had no answer for that question. He have only a smile on his face. finally I realize that there are so many children's like this."

'My best friend passed away unexpectedly. This was very hard on all of his good friends, including me. We all came together and attended his funeral.'

'A few weeks ago I experienced one of the most difficult days of my life. My best friend passed away. His funeral was a few days after. In the days leading up to the funeral, several friends and I kept tabs on each other in a group chat to make sure everyone was doing okay. This morning of the funeral, we all met in the parking lot of the funeral home. Hesitant to go inside, we stayed out in the lot for a while, drinking and sharing memories of our times with Brian. It was great to see so many old friends all in one place again. Unfortunately, the reality of why we were all together again was painful. We continued telling stories and laughing outside until it was time for everyone to go in. I was brought into a different room with the rest of the pallbearers and given our instructions. My good friend gave a really powerful eulogy. We all carried the casket outside afterward and eventually slid it into its final resting spot in the mausoleum. Afterwards, many hugs and tears between friends and family. A few of us from out close friend group when we were kids decided to go out to a restaurant together afterward in order to spend more time together. This was very helpful in healing. The funeral went as well as could have possibly been expected and I am grateful for everyone that was there.'

"I went to my friend's birthday party at a korean bbq restaurant. Afterwards I went to another friend's house to watch Zootopia."

"Last month was Amy's birthday and she had decided to throw herself a party since she was turning 30. She sent out an invitation via email. It said to meet at the Korean BBQ place in town at 8pm. I was anxious because I never had Korean BBQ, but I decided to go anyway. I am so glad I did! The food was amazing. They cook it on the table right in front of you. The sauces were the best part. There was a red bean sauce that I fell in love with. The desserts were even better. They had real vanilla bean ice cream and some amazing cakes. If it wasn't so expensive I would probably eat there every night. Amy had a great time. After the dinner everyone was going home but I was still pretty awake and wasn't looking forward to sitting at home. My other friend James said he was going home to watch Zootopia. He asked if I wanted to join him. It was pretty late but I have known James for a long time so I trusted him to keep me safe late at night. We drove to his house and relaxed on the couch and watched Zootopia until It was time for me to go home. It was a great night."

'I took a cruise with family. I saw some beautiful sights and also some sad ones. It was a learning experience for me.'

"Going on a cruise is something I have wanted to do for a while. That vision became a reality when two months ago, my family brought me along for a cruise ride. Being a relative homebody, I had no prior experience with traveling. I didn't know what to do or what to pack. But, I eventually got it figured it out. On this cruise, I experienced so many different emotions that I couldn't imagine. I can imagine experiencing some breathtaking views, and that's exactly what I saw, but that wasn't all. The views were diverse and never boring. from jaw-dropping sunsets to a day where it seemed to rain harder sideways than all the way down. It took some time to get used to riding on the seas, but I got my sea legs under me pretty quick. Ultimately, this was a big learning experience for me. I wasn't expecting this journey to be so emotional. But I didn't like some of the things I saw. Some beaches were filled with garbage and dead sea life, and some areas were neglected even worse. What an experience that I won't ever forget."

'I did some walking meditation one evening. During the walking I managed to let my mind settle down, which led to a deep sense of peace.'

"Two weeks ago, I was feeling particularly stressed after work. I couldn't wind down, I couldn't relax, I couldn't stop thinking about my day that day, and everyday forward, showing back up to that same old place. I decided to head outside, pop my headphones in, and take a stroll. As I walked along, I tried to focus on my breathing. In, and out it went, slowly synchronizing with my steps and the harmony of the music in my ears. In and out, with every exhale I left more and more of the workday behind. Forgetting the stress, the ungrateful clients and thankless work, and the dull boredom pounding at the back of my head. I'm not sure how much time passed by... maybe minutes or hours. All I can say, without a doubt, is a few laps around the block later I felt relatively at ease. Yes, I had to go back the next day and do it all again. However, at least for the moment I didn't have to worry about that. I could return home, kick my feet up, and focus on myself for the moment. Maybe I'll crack open a beer and catch up on some reading, or just chat with my friends. Who knows, it doesn't matter. Let's take it day by day."

'This story is about our family cruise vacation. We loved every moment of it and had a great time. I saw my kids explore and build relationships with other kids. And I spent time and bonded with my husband like we never could at home living our busy lives.'

'The most memorable event in the last 6 months was going on our family vacation cruise in June. It was a fantastic time bonding with my family. We went on an 8 day 7 night cruise to the South Caribbean out if Miami. The stateroom was clean and spacious and we even had 2 bathrooms. I have never seen that on any ship before. The food was great. We ate something different and tasty every day but we also had out favorites that we went back to as well. The shows were fun and other entertainment was great too. My son made some friends that he is still talking to. The best part of course was that we spent the whole time together and had some real good conversations and bonding time. My favorite part was swimming with turtles in Curacao. That memory will stay with me till the end of my life for sure. I also enjoyed watching my kids explore new things. My little girl had lots of un with new experiences and my 12 year old had a great time building friendships. It was nice to see him getting out and building social skills.'

'My dad got hurt and my parents were forced to sell their home and temporarily move to my house. We had to clean their house and sell it for them.'

'My dad fell while delivering pizzas and broke his foot. My parents were unable to pay their mortgage. They would likely lose their house in a few months. My brothers and I saw did a bit of renovating. A friend of my brothers helped and gradually cleaned the house out, as we reveled in old memories, and had my parents temporarily move in with me, as I was the only homeowner with space. In the mean mine, I helped my mom and dad make a budget. We got all their "stuff" in order to find an independent living apartment. The wife and I didnt hace the best time. She is a fairly private person and did not want my parents living with us for an indeterminate amount of time. She held strong and they eventually moved out. My parents were a bit traumatized by having to switch locations twice. Also, the room they were in is not heated and they needed a space heater. My brother and my wife healed over time and get along well again. My parents have way less worry. They dont worry about debt, houses or bills anymore.'

'My friend and I took a long drive to go to this fitness expo, where nutrition and training were key. While there, we competed in a rigorous fitness contest. Somehow, and very unexpectedly, I outperformed those who I thought would definitely win and got first place in the contest!'

"A little while back, my friend and I had gone to a fitness expo that focused on nutrition and proper training techniques for progress. It was located in Connecticut, so we had to go on a road trip to get over there to participate. It was a very exciting opportunity and one that we were both looking forward to greatly. To get there, we took shifts driving, with each of us driving 3 hours! When we got to the expo, we were really exhausted, to say the least. It all began with a bunch of guest lecturers telling us their pieces and great advice in areas that they all specialize in. I was greatly informed on things that I never had considered before. After that, we were informed we'd all participate in a contest against each other! It was split up into a bunch of teams, 3 on each team, and I was very nervous and didn't think I had a shot at all in winning the prize. I tried my very best and really kicked my own butt, and somehow myself and my teammates miraculously won over the other team! It was certainly because I had put forth my best effort, since I was the one who clinched the win with my breakneck sprint at the end. I still can't believe we had done it! I was super sore after it all. Soreness was nothing though, since I made it with a prize in my pocket on the way out! I definitely couldn't have done it without the support of my friend who was there with me."

'I wanted to invite all my friends over to enjoy my yard and pool, so I ended up throwing a big 4th of July party and it was a success.'

'I invited all my friends and family for a pool party on the fourth of July. We had just bought and set up a pool. And we also bought some yard games. Then we went and bought lots of the usual cookout foods. And also bought a keg and some alcohol. Everyone showed up that we had invited. I was all dressed up and acted as the hostess. It was a lot of fun. People ate and played games all afternoon. It was one of the best days of the summer for me. People even brought their dogs so they all could play together in our dog pen. It was stressful setting up but after that it was a fun and relaxing way to spend the holiday. I liked it much more than I do when we go out on the Fourth. I would like to do it again next year. And maybe just make it more like a potluck, rather than us worrying about all the food.'

'I applied for the perfect job. I did two rounds of interviews and after thinking I would get the job, I was rejected.'

"I was recently looking for a job. I decided to apply at a well-known retail chain. They are famous for having good benefits and paying a living wage. I went in to apply for the job and had a really good interview. Both people conducting the interview seemed to like me. I was ready for all their questions. I felt at ease. I was quickly called back for a second interview. I didn't feel the same level of rapport that I had in the first interview. Even though it didn't go as well as the first round, i still thought I was a great fit for this company. I waited for a couple weeks and I started to feel nervous. Finally they called and told me they weren't going to hire me. I was beginning to feel hopeful. I was pretty devastated as I needed a job with a future. I'm still looking for a good job."

'I see a P.A. instead of my regular doctor who refers me to a cancer specialist. I am diagnosed with cancer, have only 3-5 years left if I go through miserable treatment. We have to tell my children about it and my wife also informs me that she is pregnant again.'

"In the family of 4, I'm the head of the family, the bread winner. I being a traditional man, don't allow my wife to work. So we are all dependent on my income. My kids are of the ages 12 and 10, a boy and a girl. One is in high school while the other is in primary. I'm a hardworking man and husband, I can't remember ever calling in sick at my place of work. I hardly have a cold or come down with a fever. But lately, I've been feeling as though my body weren't my own. My wife has asked me to visit a doctor, but I just decided to get drugs from the pharmacy nearby. Despite taking these drugs, I keep feeling weak, I who have never called in sick has called in twice now for being bedridden. So today I finally decide to go see my regular doctor. But I see a P.A. instead of my regular doctor who refers me to a cancer specialist. I am diagnosed with cancer, have only 3-5 years left if I go through miserable treatment. We have to tell my children about it and my wife also informs me that she is pregnant again."

"I brought my puppy home to live with after her staying with my sister since February. It was rough at first, she didn't want to eat or use the bathroom. After two weeks, she had perfectly melded into our family and had a comfortable routine."

"It took a lot of effort on my part in order to acclimate my puppy to her new environment. It wasn't so easy for her to feel comfortable the first few nights. When she stayed with my sister, she had always slept in the bathroom off of her room. My room didn't have a bathroom off of it. Also, my sister has hardwood floors in her bedroom. I have carpeted. My thought it that my puppy liked the feel of the cold hardwood floors at night. I'm under the impression that the carpet may have been slightly uncomfortable until my puppy got used to the temperature difference. To test this theory, I bought a big piece of tile and put it at the foot of my bed. Like the hardwood, the tile would stay cool overnight. The very first night with the tile, it seemed like my puppy slept easier and didn't wake me up in the middle of the night. My theory had been correct. My puppy was to hot laying on the carpet because she already has long hair. With the tile, it gave her a nice cool surface to relax on. I'm not positive if this had anything to do with her eating and bathroom habbits though. She ate very little and subsequently had to go the bathroom very little for the first week. I'm not sure if she wasn't taking well to the environment change. Potentially she had a specific routine of which she would go the bathroom at my sisters and had specific landmarks she associated with her location. In order to combat this, I had my sister send over the kitty pool that she said my puppy loved to hop in and out of during the day. I put this in the backyard to my house and in just two days, my puppy's mood seemed to elevate. Not to mention, my puppy was getting much more exercise and was tuckered out from playing in the pool. This instantly caused my puppy to eat and drink more. All my problems seemed to be solved by simple observation and trial and error."

'This is a brief summary of my difficulty finding a job and my decision to pursue employment in person.'

"To find a job is very difficult now a days. I am very tired to find the perfect job for me. I find my job according to the qualification that I have. I searched the job in a lots of websites. And goes for an interview to the many companies. But they did not call for me after the interview is finished. Even I performed well in the interview. Mostly I prefer to pursue employment in person. So we can face any problems and we can establish our talent as much we can. So I refer interviews like job in persons. I've searched and went for an many interview. I am not going to quit my job findings until I find the perfect job. No one can stop me. One day I will achieve my goal and become an successful employee. They is not so far."

'I was able to start and launch a company successfully. I felt joy and pride because I stuck with it in spite of the challenges.'

'I started a company within the past six months and it was a really rewarding experience. It was also difficult and stressful. The most surprising part was that I stuck with it, even with the challenges. I was happy that I was able to stick with my plans in spite of the challenges. Overcoming challenges made the event more memorable to me. I was not able to eat, sleep or have fun, but when I finally succeeded I had a feeling of joy. I was excited that I was able to create something from nothing. I also had a feeling of hope, and I believe that the company will succeed. I also developed a feeling of pride in what I had accomplished. I basically told everyone that I came into contact with about my company, and I had genuine passion for it. I worked extremely hard to accomplish my goal and stayed disciplined. Starting my company was one of the best things that has happened to me in my young life. I believe that starting my own company in spite of the challenges could be inspirational for others. I also believe that the service I provide can help make the world a better place. I have a great sense of accomplishment from what I have been able to do. In the future, I do want to share my background and story with other people.'

'I took a train ride to california with my daughter. We finally repaired the strain in our relationship. It was the stories of strangers that made us close'

'I took a train down to california. This was with my daughter too. We had not been getting together lately. We had been annoyed with each other. It had not bee long since our last fight. I thought it would be good to take a trip. The strain we have been having might need some mending. We told each other stories of odd people we had met in the past. And also the stories of new stranger people we met on the train. It was revealing to us that most of the problems that we had were so minor compared to others. I felt like we were being petty, picky, and weak. Compared to other peoples stories, we were. So it was good to know we had other things to worry about. Just not at the moment. We felt relieved.'

'the emotional transition for mothers and the excitement for the milestone transition from toddler to grade schooler'

"It's not exactly a surprise that being a mother takes its toll on you emotionally. I remember hearing my mother telling me that quite often when I first got pregnant. She used to always go on about how I would finally understand what she meant some day. She was totally right. All that time she actually knew what she was talking about. Now that my daughter started second grade two weeks ago I can really look back and see things clearly. Not only has my daughter changed significantly, obviously, but I am now much more equipped for the day-to-day life of being a mother and what that requires currently. In addition, some of the requirements of that task have changed in the process. Feeding and making sure my daughter didn't hurt herself were essential tasks when she was a toddler, but now in grade school the expectations of motherhood have shifted. This is what my mother always talked about and I simply brushed aside. My daughter needs me for stability and things like helping her with her math homework now, and it's a fun change for me. I'm excited to start getting into science projects and fun activities she gets to take home with her. I hope to help her and continue to show her the value of education and learning. I always loved art classes too, so it's great that she's already taken a liking to drawing and painting in her spare time. It's very fulfilling to be able to experience this part of my daughter's life, and I can't wait to see her continue to grow up and develop into a wonderful person."

'I was extremely nervous to take my national certification exam for my degree. I not only did well, but I did the best on the exam my professors had ever seen.'

"What a busy day at work today! I'm exhausted but in a good way. It's been a whirlwind since starting this job about a month and a half ago but it's worth it. Honestly, I can't believe that I'm here. I never imagined that I'd be working for a company such as this. Thank god for Prof. J (which reminds me..purchase birthday card for Prof. J). I don't know if I would of pass her class and did so well on the certification exam two months ago without her encouragement. It was a tough ride. I can't believe I'm here now. I remember the night before taking my exam, I barely slept, I was so nervous. When Prof. J told me that I had done so well on my exam, I couldn't believe it. What a moment."

'We went to the forest on the way. We saw people on the hill, and joined them. We continued the journey, and after we reached the destination we tried to set out our camp.'

'After setting up our camp, we went to light a fire, but when we took the first marshmallow out of the bag, we heard a few steps and were so scared that we went to sleep in the tents. the next day the marshmallows were not there. and everyone was still more frightened but after following a trail of marshmallows we found a family of raccoons feeding on them. and everyone laughed a lot and then we realized that those raccoons needed help because where they lived. it was dirty and full of garbage, and We all started cleaning until we saved the home of these creatures and then we could enjoy the camp in peace and eat the marshmallow. and discuss pollution and the animals that are affected by this. then the raccoons reappeared but this time nobody was scared. on the contrary we follow them to see where they are going. and he took us to a pond where there was a lot of garbage and a very bad smell. I comment this is no place for these animals. and everyone looked at their faces with an expression of affirmation. we all went to the camps for bags and work clothes. when we return we start cleaning that site. Once finished we returned to the camp and began to enjoy the rest of the day. but with the question of who had dirtied the site.'

'Our first child was born after 48 hours in the hospital. We had a little girl. Mom and baby were both healthy.'

"We arrived at the hospital on a Tuesday night for my wife to be induced for the birth of our first child. We did not know the gender of the baby so we were excited for the surprise. We began in one room where they prepped my wife to begin inducing. Soon we were moved into our next room where we would wait for our daughter's arrival. My wife progressed slowly throughout labor. The hospital staff went through their many procedures to induce labor. By Thursday morning, the hospital staff told us we should expect our baby by noon. Noon came and went,no baby. Next we were told by three they would be here. At three o'clock, still no baby. After much pushed our lovely daughter finally arrived at 5:48. It was nearly 48 hours after we arrived in the hospital. When I finally got to hold her, I was elated. Tears fell down my face. She was born healthy and my wife was amazing. It was the greatest day of my life."

'I have a therapy dog, named Sheriff, and he and I visit Shriners Hospital for children. Over the course of a few months I saw the power of a therapy dog with a patient named Rebecca. Sheriff and I were there with her the day she left this earth to become an angel,'

"I feel grateful for many things in my life. One of the ones I am most thankful for is my therapy dog, and the experiences I've had with him. Sherrif and I visit the Shriner's children's hospital quite often. About 3 months ago Sherrif was a great help to a little girl named Rebecca. The bond they formed was one of best friends. I think Sherrif enjoyed her company as much as she enjoyed his. I enjoyed and learned so much from both of their companys and it helped me even more in putting a perspective on things that are important in life. Me and Sherrif were with her the day she left this earth. It was a rough day for everyone. I'm just thankful that Sherrif was able to improve her life, and give her comfort through the worst of circumstances. Rebecca taught me more about living in the moment because we don't know how many moments we get. Even in the face of death Rebecca made the most of every second she had. She smiled, laughed, and lived every second to the fullest. I hope I am able to be that brave if I see death coming. I hope I have the courage to live every moment as full as I can and to spread kindness to others around me."

"I went to Ubeda in the south of Spain for my best friend's wedding. I had no expectations whatsoever about the place or the trip. However I was taken aback by the culture and the beauty and can't wait to go back,"

"My best friend was having a wedding. He invited me. There was only one problem. He said it was in another country. It was in Spain. I had never been to Spain before. I was a little nervous. I thought that I wouldn't fit in. I thought that I would be the only one there who spoke English. I couldn't believe how wrong I was. When I got there I had a wonderful time. The food was absolutely delicious. The wedding was a beautiful ceremony. There were plenty of people who spoke English. These people showed me how amazing Spain was. After the wedding I was shown the beautiful landmarks of the country."

"My dead husband's daughter found me on social media six years after his death. I am hoping that we will be able to form a cordial relationship and maybe one day get together so she can meet her half brother. I also have some things their dad kept for them that I would like them to have."

"Many years ago, my husband had two children that were placed up for adoption due to an abusive situation with his ex wife. All of these things happened before we met. Six years ago, my husband passed away, and this year, the oldest of the two children turned 18. This young lady recently found me on facebook, and sent me a personal message. She wanted to express her condolences for my loss. As she is just 18, and just found out that her father is now deceased, she is very overwhelmed. She has grown into a beautiful young lady though, and I am hopeful that we will be able to get together and share out memories. The circumstances around her dads death were not pleasant. He died by suicide, and part of the reason was because of what happened with the girls and the fact that he was their dad and couldn't protect them and then lost them forever. I am overwhelmed by the situation because even though right now she is not ready to hear the story or the details, I know that eventually she is going to want me to relive everything that happened over the last couple of years of her dads life. I have saved things for her and her sister all these years that my husband had in his possession. I have pictures, and home movies, and their quilts from when they were babies. I am letting her come to me on her own accord, in her own time. I am hopeful to one day have a relationship with her. My husband and I had a son together, and so they have a half brother. I hope that one day they can meet him."

'Coming home from a party I watched a family of deer cross a road. Then when I got home I fed a stray cat.'

"I was driving home late at night after visiting some friends who threw a party. I took the back roads home so I could enjoy a nice relaxing drive while listening to music. Blasting music and singing along was relaxing. But then all of a sudden I notice something on the side of the road. It looked like it was a deer. So I slowed down the car and slowly started to pass by the deer. But for some reason I pulled over and put my flashers on. I still don't know why I did this because I'm sure it would've scared the deer away but it didn't. Soon after pulling over the deer started walking towards my car and sniffing. I turned the car off and just waited inside. As I waited I watched the deer examine the car and look at me. Soon after checking me out it went back into the woods. I didn't drive away just yet because I had a feeling something was going to happen. Sure enough shortly after the deer went into the woods it came back out and this time it had little fawns with it following. I sat in the car just watching them and one even walked up to the car and licked it. I was just so relaxed and at peace watching the family cross the road. After they walked to the other side of the woods I started my car up and started driving back home. Went I got home I say a stray cat and decided to feed it. I sat on my porch as the stray cat ate. I had a drink of ice tea then after the cat finished eating I took the bowl inside and cleaned it. After that I passed out in bed."

'I was on my way home from the grocery store when a black bear ran out in front of my car. It really shocked me, to say the least.'

"Two months ago I had probably the craziest experience I can remember while driving. I was coming home from the store after getting groceries for dinner, when a massive black bear ran in front of my car! I wasn't even in a rural area either, so it totally took me by surprise. That thing really came out of nowhere too, and ran way faster than I imagined a bear could run. This was definitely not a small bear by any means. I had to slam on my breaks at the time so thankfully there was nobody behind me. I could see another car going the same direction that also stopped. When we eventually drove off we both locked eyes and kind of expressed the same level of astonishment to each other as we parted. It was all very surreal, and something I've never experienced before in this area. The bear ended up running into a larger forest on the other side of the road, but I can't imagine we have a large population of bears here despite this incident. The environment isn't too bad but I wonder how much food they would be able to find since most of this city is suburban. My only regret about that day is not having time to get my phone out for a picture. My wife didn't really believe me when I told her the story, and only relented after seeing how serious I was about the whole thing. A picture would have been all the evidence I needed, and also a cool memento to remember the event. I know I will definitely be on the lookout for my new friend next time I'm driving in the same area!"

'This memorable experience was my brothers wedding, the events surrounding it, and how it moved me emotionally. It felt like I was losing a brother and made me emotional as a best man, but I knew my brother was going to be a great husband.'

'So a memorable event that happened was my brothers wedding to his current wife. It was an amazing experience for me and everyone who was there. There were hundreds of people at the event who were all there to celebrate him and his wifes love for each and the bond that they have. It felt weird to me, as I was his best man during the wedding, and it was awesome to see him moving on with his life, but hard to think that he was moving on from me and my other brother to create his own family. I love my brother so much, but it really was a bittersweet moment to me. The most memorable thing about the event was basically the wedding ceremony. I remember getting emotional as they were saying their vows, and it just created this weird sensation that I had never really experienced before. His wife looked so beautiful, and he looked sharper than I had ever seen him. Another memorable part of the event was my best man speech. I remember not being able to think of the right things to say up until the very day they were getting married. I wrote my speech only a few hours before I had to give it. In it I described how if how my brother loved me was how he was going to care for her, than she was in good hands. I knew that they were going to have a happy and awesome marriage. It was an experience that I would not change for anything, and look forward to having one of my own. Still one of the most memorable experiences I have had in a very long time, and I still think about it when I think about my brother and how he is doing.'

'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.'

"Dear Diary,I went to my cousin Cara's wedding a few weeks ago. I flew out to Ohio and brought my daughter with me. We haven't visited in forever so it was great to see the family. I was surprised she decided to get married in the Catholic church. I really hate having to go to mass, but whatever. My favorite part of the night was definitely when my drunk uncles got out on the dance floor and did the electric slide. Honestly, it's been a bummer being around my family since my grandparents died., but I really love my cousin and it was great to see her. My grandpa died from pneumonia complications, and my grandma had an aneurysm. I miss her so much. Cara's mom, my aunt Lisa, is the worst. Totally passive aggressive. Oh well. My cousin looked beautiful, and her husband seems nice. The food was good. It was nice getting out of AZ for awhile. I don't think I'll be going back to OH anytime soon."

'My family of 12 went on vacation to the smokey mountains. We spent a lot of time together cooking, playing games, and laughing. It was very memorable because as my parents get older, there is less time for my niece, nephews, and daughter to make memories with them.'

"Over the Memorial Day holiday in the United States, my family of 12 and I went on a family vacation. We rented a huge log cabin in the mountains that included pin ball machines, old school video games, a pool table, swimming pool, hot tub, and large enough areas that all of us could sit around and talk. This vacation was especially memorable because my parents who are in their 70's, were able to spend time with all 5 of their grandchildren, son-in-law, nephew, married in relatives, and myself, their oldest daughter. We spent a lot of time laughing and cooking together. We would sit out on the balcony and look at the breathtaking views. We were very high up on the mountain and the drive up was pretty scary at times, LOL, yet that provided us with a lot of pictures and memories that will last forever. There were a few times that we went into the city to shop, go out to eat, and explore what the Smokey Mountains had to offer. One evening we went to a new area where there is a huge farris wheel. While I personally would not go on it, several of my family members did, and when they were at the top they took awesome pictures. My nephew said, holy crap, that thing is tall. The way he said it was so funny. He is a little guy so seeing him look at the farris wheel and understand the height of it was cool. Every morning my husband and son-in-law would go fishing. One day they brought back Trout. After they cleaned the fish my son-in-law put it on the grill and cooked it for anyone who wanted some. The first batch of fish was excellent and everyone ate it. By this time everyone was full. He still had one more fish that he had to cook. As I was eating this fish I noticed that it didn't entirely look done. I picked at it a few more times. That evening we all sat around the cabin talking and playing games. We had our telescope there so we were able to look at the stars at night and find the constellations. After everyone went to bed, I woke up around midnight thinking I was dying. Nope, FOOD POISONING!!! I was up for several hours becoming best friends with the porcelain god. While it was not funny at the time because I was literally thinking that I was dying, I look back now and laugh because everyone talks about me getting food poisoning and the shape that I was in. Lucky for them, I took one for the team"

'At the practicum placement I am at, there is a student I have bonded with. After a particularly tough morning, he reached out for comfort and support before he began his day. He left his picture with me to remember him by.'

'About two months ago, I began working at my practicum placement for my graduate school practicum requirement. During this time, I have gotten to know my practicum supervisor and have had the opportunity to learn a lot about the students who attend the school. In particular, I have gotten to know the Kindergarteners and first graders very well. There is one particular kindergartener, a blonde-haired little boy with none of his front teeth and a long braid down his back, that I have come to enjoy seeing around school. About two weeks ago, he came up to me and was crying. He grabbed me in an embrace and told me how much he wanted "Picture Day" to last all day. His mother had dressed him up and styled his braid with extra care that morning. He clearly was very excited about how nice he looked but was having a hard morning. He looked very precious and it put a smile on my face. He shared with me that he was feeling sad and really needed a friend that morning. We got him his breakfast and made our way into my office. After opening up his chocolate milk and juice cartons, he started to cry and leaned his head against the wall. He doubted that he could make it through the whole day without getting his picture taken at least twice. I felt sad to see him so upset. He jumped up from his chair and hugged me around my waist, still crying. I talked to him about how hard school can be and how brave he was. He told me that he felt better. The other day, he picked up his school pictures and I found a portrait signed by him sitting on my desk. It made me feel very happy and loved by this little boy I had come to know so well.'

'I met my lady six months ago. We ended up becoming very close. She ended up being the love of my life, and I am thankful for her every day.'

"In March of 2019, I met someone new. She's the most amazing person I have ever met. She makes me happy on the bad days. I met her in a chatroom online. We hit it off by talking about various things. We were able to keep a conversation with each other very well. We grew extremely close since that day. I remember she had to leave because she had snow to shovel. This ended up being a life changing event. I have been talking to her, and we are in a relationship now. I fell in love with her right away because of her intelligence and her heart. Now, I am moving to be close to her. This ended up changing the outlook on my life. I will remember the first day we started talking like the back of my hand. We will be going on our first date soon enough."

"This is an account of my experience as the best man at my brother's wedding. While performing my best man duties, I learned valuable lessons about how to overcome anxiety about public speaking and was able to enjoy the wonderful event fully."

"In this diary entry, I will tell you about being the best man at my brother's wedding. Being his best man was a great honor and I am very grateful that he chose me to be so. My brother has a number of really close friends who could have easily performed the duties of first man, but he chose me. The wedding was beautiful. Family and friends came from all over to be there. Amber, the bride, looked stunning and her bridesmaid's also. We rented a farmhouse next to a lake as the venue. The weather was perfect, which is a rare occurrence in the deep south. Not too hot and not too cold. The only potential problem was me. I have a terrible fear of public speaking and the best man is required to do a lot of that. But it was my little brother's wedding. I had a duty and the great honor of being the best man. I could not fail him or let my anxiety rule the day. In this case, being the best man also afforded me the opportunity to be there for my family and little brother and to work on myself as a human being, conquering my anxiety about public speaking and rising to the occasion. I learned that most anxiety is anticipatory, and that once the speech has begun, things are easier. So the speech and toast went off without a hitch. Dylan, my brother was happy, and, most importantly, Amber, the bride, had a happy day."

'my nephew was born in September and I had the chance to go meet him in the hospital. It was very emotional holding him for the first time. I look forward to watching him grow up.'

"The day when my nephew was born is really our family members are happy about that moment. Because which was very excited moment for everybody in our family. Last year September my nephew was born and I had the chance to go meet him in the hospital. it was really a very emotional time for me. Holding my nephew in a soft manner makes my eyes tears. It was an awesome moment for my family members especially for me it was the happened of the birth of my nephew was made me over emotional and getting very cold inside of my hands. my nephew's birth was so amazing, but I almost missed it. When my sister first asked me to be in the delivery room when she gives birth I told her no I did not think that I would be to handle all the blood and yelling that I had seen on television, but my sister told me that its not about the blood and yelling it is about being a part of something amazing. After our talk I decided to do some research of my own to see how many people have actually seen a baby being born and what did they think of the whole experience. Everyone I talked to only had good things to say. They also told me it would mean a lot to my sister and my future nephew and god son if I would say yes, so I did. My sister was so happy I that had change my mind and decided to be a part of the birth. This whole experiences made me and my sister closer than ever. The baby also bought my family a little closer to. I never thought that we couldget any closer before this whole experiences. Then again I never thought I would see a baby being born. My sister and I actually fight less and are truly generally happy. We try to always set a good example because we know that he is always looking at us. Seeing a baby being born puts a whole new perspective onlife. It makes you think about your life and the future. I had always wanted my sister to have a baby before I did. My sister had also asked me to be in the delivery room while she gave birth. She also asked me to be the baby's god mother. I was so over joyed with excitement when I saw my nephew. Seeing my nephew for the first time was such an awarding and amazing experiences, one that I will never forget."

'We visited my parents which is rare when given a bonus from work. We spent our days having nonstop fun and enjoy4d multiple evenings that reminded me of childhood by catching fireflies as a family.'

"While we were at my parents for this trip, we went out to one of my favorite new shops that sells vintage toys from my youth. It was nice seeing my kids enjoy all of this as much as I did. They had all of the Masters of the Universe, Ghostbusters, and Wrestlers that i played with. They had a ton of records that my dad also enjoyed looking through which was nice. ALl of the kids were overwhlemed by al lof the toys and it did my heart good because I could empathize with tha tfeeling. This is something that we make a habit of doing now whenever we go in there. It's right by the park that we went to for my moms birthday that had fishing, boating, and mini golf. I miss being there, bu tthese trips are special and evoke so much nostalgia for me. I wish we could go more often. The prices are high and the kids always want a lot. But to maintain the feelings it gives me I always pay up plus it helps the small business. The hard part is the kids don't really play with the toys anymore once we ge thome. I think they are feeling kind of what I am in that this store is a marker of happiness because they are with their grandparents. We always try to hit up all the small businesses when we are in. This one is the one that brings the kids the most joy though."

'Graduating with my teaching credential and master\'s degrees was the proudest moment of my life. It felt great to finally be done with my education so that I can enter the "real world" and work.'

"The event that was most memorable and striking to me within the last few months was graduating with my teaching credential and master's degree. This is something that I have been dreaming about for years. It was something that I worked on for years by taking tests, writing papers, and attending classes. There were countless nights studying and worrying. Student teaching was long and expensive since I had to pay to not work. It was also exhausting working full-time and then taking classes at night. To finally be done with my credential and master's was a huge accomplishment for me. Walking down the stage at graduation felt amazing. I realized that this was likely the last time that I would attend a graduation as a student. That is, unless I decide to go back for my doctorate degree. However, whether I decide to go back for another graduate-level degree or not, the accomplishment of getting my master's degree can never be taken away from me. My parents and grandparents were extremely proud. My long-term boyfriend was extremely proud. I realized that the next time I attend a graduation will likely be for my students, since I am trying to teach high school level students. It feels nice to pass the torch to them."

'I somehow managed to get some space for myself. It was really difficult to breathe.Skim the text to get a general idea of the topic.'

"Today at work my boss gave me a task that was not in my job description. I had never done this before but she expected it to be perfect! I spent some time researching how to do this task using Google as she had instructed me to do in the past when I didn't know what to do. My boss kept calling me every five minutes to ask if I had finished my task yet! It was so unbearable and I felt like she didn't trust my judgement. Why would she give me a new task and constantly hound me when she knew that I was learning on the job. I managed to talk her down and tell her that it was going to get done within the next two hours. This seemed to get her off my back at least temporarily. My anxiety began to get really bad and I realized that I was overwhelmed with the new task, my boss, and this job in general. I was able to sneak away into the bathroom for a few minutes to collect my thoughts. I can't believe how stressed out this made me! It felt like the day was going to drag on and on with no end in sight. Once I was able to regroup, I went back and attempted to finish the job. I have never felt so incompetent in my life. This was one of my worst days working at this organization. I hope nothing like this ever happens again."

'I left work early, but got caught in the rain. I ended up stranded at a gas station but then headed home. Visibility went to nothing soon after that, so I hid in the graveyard on a porch and talked to my friend.'

"Earlier today I left work again. Nothing to do. I knew it was about to rain, but I had been smoking cigarettes for the past two hours outside by myself. It was time to go. So I clocked out and, because they still haven't fixed my car yet, tried to walk to my friend's house. Of course I didn't make it; I ended up stranded at a gas station... smoking cigarettes. Again. The rain never really stopped... I just got tired of smoking. I ended up not even bothering to go to her house; I went home. 4.6 miles, but soon I was lost in my head listening to music on my phone. Eventually, though, the rain picked up. Visibility went to nothing. Earbuds flying out of my ears every few seconds. I tried to look around for something to hide under because I was completely soaked, but all I saw was what appeared to be a house next to the graveyard in town. It was actually their office; they were closed. I took my phone out once I was on the porch (I always keep it in a plastic bag ever since the last one got ruined by rain) and tried to get in contact with someone who might pick me up. Nobody could for a long time. But I did manage to get in contact with my friend who I was trying to see at her house before, and she kept me company for at least a half hour while I sat there soaked. It was nice to have company. Sometimes I don't appreciate her that much, and that day was emotional in retrospect because it made me realize I might should be more thankful for her."

'my story about my wedding function.its my life changing moment and that was the most memorable thing in my life also.It was an overcast afternoon and a light rain had just started to fall.'

"Well, it's been almost two years (20 months) since I married Isabel and with her birthday tomorrow, I just felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude for her and felt compelled to write. Isa is the absolute light of my life, the person who gets me and honestly knows me better than myself. You know how sometimes parties suck and are too much energy to deal with and you just want to go home with your partner and eat frozen people in front of the TV? That's how I feel most of the time (because I am an introvert). Except, at my wedding, arguably the most important party I'll go to. Even with all the bells and whistles and people coming up to talk to me and speeches and corny dancing, looking at her made all of my anxiety fall away. I was so scared about this wedding - how my friends and family would react to a woman marrying another woman, and who would even show up to this thing. Even though I KNOW everyone I love just wants me to be happy, as far as I know, I'm the only person in my family who has come out as gay or bisexual. We had our wedding overlooking the beach in her quaint Massachusetts hometown, which reminded me of the beach I would go to in Maryland. It felt most crisp than usual for May, probably because of the sea breeze, and I inhaled the salty sea air and smiled as I stood at the altar and let my eyes wander through my crowd of loved ones. The sky matched the light gray stone slate of the rock wall but I could see the sun glowing behind the sheet of clouds. I don't even remember the music starting, there was a ringing in my ears and then Isa appeared at the end of the aisle. My best friend, soulmate, soul sister, love of my life who makes me a better person every day. I'm sure my jaw was on the floor while I watched her come toward me, but I was having deja vu of every one of her smile-laughs, our happiest moments, just radiating from her face. While the chaplain spoke I watched a raindrop catch on her eyelashes and felt a few drops on my forehead. Soon the sky was giving us little wet raindrop kisses all over our faces, and we leaned in and embraced just as the rain broke through."

'I got into a argument with a friend at a bar because he was making fun of me. This argument led me to question who i hang around with.'

'A few months ago i got in a argument with a friend. We were drinking and he was being mean to me. Ive been picked on by some of my friends over my lifetime. I think he thought he was joking around but i got really upset. He was making fun of my voice for the way i talk. He was doing it at a bar in front of a group of people. I got mad and challenged him to fight. We have since made up and i told him its ok lets move on. But i really dont want to associate with him any more. Im a grown man and some of my friends from when i was younger im discovering are not good people. Also too much of what of what my old friends always want to do is drink. I struggle moving on because its hard to make new friends. But im realizing im a different person and want to be around different people. While it was just a small fight it kind of led to think about my life and who i want to be around. Ive been hanging out with my family more and more these days.'

"I was featured in Woman's World magazine a couple of months ago to share my incredible weight loss journey with the whole world. I lost 200 pounds with no weight loss surgery and a complete lifestyle change. As a result, I'm healthier and more fit than I have been since high school and I'm now 57."

"I am still highly motivated to complete my weight loss goal due to the Woman's World magazine coverage. Being featured in the magazine was both an honor and a huge accomplishment. It makes me proud to know that so many others were inspired by my story. Since appearing in Woman's World, I have been approached by others to do similar stories. I now have the opportunity to be featured in First for Women. The editors contacted me for a brief screening. The screening was to see if I was still making progress on my goal. The screening also was for determining the likelihood of me reaching my goal and not abandoning the process. Because of this new opportunity, I have re-dedicated myself to my goal and am inspired to finish what I started. What is most surprising to me is that I was able to lose the weight without having weight loss surgery. Unfortunately, when I began the journey, my health was bad and I had many health issues related to obesity. First of all, I had a poor metabolic system and a sluggish thyroid. I was told that it would be nearly impossible to lose the amount of weight that I needed without having surgery. I could not have surgery because being being put to sleep was not an option. I suffered from congestive heart failure and was nearly 400 pounds. Surprisingly, I was able to lose nearly half of my body weight. I was also able to reverse the effects of obesity and am now highly active and my heart function has returned to normal."

'ONE DAY I WALKED THROUGH THE ROADSIDE. I SAW THAT SOME PEOPLE BEGGING FOR FOOD. I BROUGHT SOME FOOD FOR THEM THEY ARE VERY HAPPY'

'LAST WEEK I WAS FACED A SENTIMENTAL SITUATION IN MY LIFE. THAT DAY I WAS WALKING THROUGH THE ROADSIDE. AT THAT TIME I SAW THAT SOME PEOPLE WAS BEGGING FOR FOOD. AT THAT TIME A SMALL CHILDREN IS ALSO WITH THEM. THEY ARE BEGGING FOR FOOD TO EVERYONE. WHEN I SAW THAT INCIDENT I WAS DEPRESSED MENTALLY VERY BAD. NOW A DAYS OUR WORLD IS FACED SO MANY PROBLEMS. THE MAJOR PROBLEM IS THAT POVERTY. I REMEMBER THIS SITUATION AT THAT TIME. AT THAT TIME THE CHILD WAS CAME TO NEAR ME. THAT TIME I FELL VERY SAD AND HE WAS ASKING TO ME FOR FOOD. I BROUGHT SOME FOOD FROM THE NEAREST SHOP AND GAVE IT TO HIM. HE WAS VERY HAPPY. I REALIZE THAT THE BIGGEST REQUIREMENT IN THE WORLD IS FOOD. IT WAS A MEMMORABLE EVENT IN MY LIFE.'

'I decided to relocation to another state. The move was difficult physically, emotionally and financially. In the end I made the best choice and look forward to each and every day.'

'I want to relocate my home place. Because i got better job in another state. It was very tough to relocate one state to another state. We have to change each and every small things to another place. Like we have to change our passport address, license address, and etc. But i have to change my location. Physically it was very hard to relocate with our things. and also financially it cost very much to our budget. But i can handle this situation very smart. at the end i was sell my home products and big things in my house to local mart. After i sell it i can get a enough and reasonable money. Then i relocate with small things. It was slightly easy than moving with lot of things. I can buy some new products in my new place. It could be less amount for transport charge.'

'I finally was able to put the guilt and shame down that I felt for most of my life. It was liberating and felt wonderful.'

"I was sexually abused as a child so anything sexual has been attached to shame and guilt. I felt gross whenever I masturbated or touched myself, it felt awful. Then a few days ago, I'm not sure why it happened, but I told myself that my sexuality was mine and that I'm entitled to it, that I should feel ashamed of it. It clicked and it felt like the shame was gone. I felt happy and empowered. I started crying and giggling at the same time, it was like a huge weight was lifted off of my shoulders. I felt really good to finally be able to own something that was mine to begin with. I even felt angry that it was taken from me for so long, but angry in a good way. Angry that I had parts of myself taken away from me to begin with. It was a really confusing set of emotions. It felt really good though. I owned those feelings, they were mine. I finally felt like I was entitled to them. It was like a lid came off of me and everything came pouring out. I've been working through a lot in my past and it feels wonderful to see my progress."

'I got to visit Colorado a couple months ago. During this visit I got to see two of my favorite bands at Red Rocks. This was top of my bucket list.'

"About two months ago I was blessed with an opportunity to visit my brother and his family in Colorado. While on my visit, I got to see two of my favorite bands at a venue that is on my bucket list, Red Rocks. They were a week apart and were both amazing shows. The first show I got to go with my sister and it was electric. You could feel the magic in the air. Everyone at the concert was so happy to be in that place at that moment which really connected us all. I've never felt almost fellowship at a concert like this. The second show I went alone and had just as good a time, but it was more introverted as I went alone. I got to see my all-time favorite band at that concert and it was as good as I could have hoped for, even got my current favorite song played at encore. I walked away from the whole experience satisfied, but a little bit sad. My bucket list had a big tick on it now. All in all it was every bit of an amazing experience as I had hoped for. I am currently searching out new items to add to my bucket list now. I greatly enjoyed visiting my brother's family as well. This is the first time I had seen them since they moved to Colorado. I imagine this visit will become an annual thing."

"My family, my sister's family, and my parents went on a trip to the Smoky Mountains. We went to DollyWood, SplashCountry, Hatfield and McCoys, Goats on the Roof, and several other local attractions. It was a wonderful family time."

"3 months ago, after waiting an entire year, it was finally time to go to the Smoky Mountains. I hadn't been on a vacation in years, so I was very excited. I also had never been to Tennessee before, and I knew they had a lot of attractions and good food to look forward to. I went with my family, my sister's family, and my parents. We decided to rent a huge RV and went on a road trip. That made it so much more fun. One of my favorite places we went was DollyWood. The only other amusement park I had been to before was Hershey Park. DW was so much fun. I must have spent 100 dollars just on food. We took the kids to Splash Country the next day. I hate swimming or getting wet, so I just watched everyone else. They had a blast. Surprisingly, Goats on the Roof was probably my favorite place. The goats were so cute and they had amazing fudge. It was definitely an odd place, but I loved it. We stayed in TN for 9 days, then went home. I want to go again next year."

'My husband was terminated from a good job. They lied about why he was fired. And we had the proof to where he should have never of gotten fired.'

'A few weeks ago my husband lost a really good job. It was heartbreaking and gut wrenching because he did nothing to be termibated. We were on tue fast track up and tyen in a blink of an eye it was taken from us. Having tyree kids to support right and school time it is very hard to figure out what to do next. It affected our whole famoly. We feel like it was planned and done on purpose. Now we are leftto figure out how to pay bills and provide for our children with no money. We live in a place where jobs are rare. He worked so hard to keep this job. Stress keeps building up with no outlet. We ask ourselves what we are going to do. Money is not suppose to be everything but it makes the world go round. And tye will not even release a statement saying he was terminated so our family can get help. Its like a cycle of distruction that wont stop. Whays next?'

"Despite a car accident the night before, I was alive and well to play and dance at the annual English Country Dance Ball. The thrill of the night for me was dancing Mairi's Wedding, one of my favorite Scottish dances. My joy and amazement at being there to enjoy it gave the evening an extra glow."

'A Surprisingly Satisfying BallSaturday night was the annual English Country Dance Ball. We meet weekly, year round, to work on music and dances and to socialize. Then, once a year, we put on a grand ball, with decorated hall, abundant refreshments, and elegant costumes. The band had been practicing hard for weeks. The dancers had been putting lots of effort into learning all the dances. I play guitar and four different sizes of recorder in the band. How I love playing live music for eager dancers! We give wings to their feet. Four of the six band members take turns dancing once or twice during the evening, year round, although, at the ball, we\'re lucky to get to dance once. This year, something very special was happening for the first time. I had introduced and taught a Scottish Country Dance, "Mairi\'s Wedding", to the group and helped find good sheet music for the three dance tunes for our arranger to set for recorders and violin. It\'s more challenging than most dances that the group has attempted, so the dancers gave their all to learning the complicated figures. Since I would be dancing, instead of playing, the band also had the challenge of learning three new music arrangements, without my help. The night before the ball, the unthinkable occured: I was in a serious automobile accident. I was miraculously unharmed, but both cars were towed; dear friends from the band rescued me and provided transportation the next day. After one last whirlwind of an afternoon workshop the day of the Ball, we were all as prepared as we could be. We had gone through the most difficult of the dances one last time. Some guests from out of town were learning them for the first time, but did amazingly well. Then, everyone pitched in to help rearrange and decorate the hall, before dashing off to grab supper and change into ball costumes. When we returned to the hall, it was like stepping into another world and era. The hall looked magical. The setting seemed to inspire the dancers, who formed more perfectly aligned sets than ever before! Finally, the moment I\'d been waiting for: it was time for Mairi\'s Wedding. In amazement and delight that I was still there to savor this experience, when our turn came for the lead, I looked at my partner and said, "Let\'s fly!" and we certainly did, sweeping through the figures joyously. The rest of the evening, I basked in the glow of contentment and satisfaction of that dance, as I played my best with the rest of the band, to give everyone their best Ball ever.'

'This was about the stress and anxiety that comes along with being a military family. There are moves and discussions of business.'

'Most of my life I lived with my mom. Her and my dad were seperated. When I was thirteen, I started getting in trouble and my mom thought it would be good for me to live with my military dad. So I traveled all the way across the country to go and live with my dad. I had no idea how stressful it was to be in a military family. I remember one day my dad coming in and sitting the whole family down, right when the gulf war had picked up in the 90s. "I might have to go to war, guys. I might be deployed." He hung his headband began to cry. It was a stressful couple of months, not knowing what was going to happen, dad always talking about things I had no idea about, war terms and such. Finally, he came home one day and said he was not going to be deployed. Everyone was so happy. But that didn\'t take away the stresses. We may have to move, may have to change schools, he may be stationed somewhere else. It was a constant churn of not knowing. I didn\'t like the feeling. I was so glad when dad decided not to reenlist after 21 years of being in the military. It was such a relief knowing we would never have to move again.'

"Me and her drove together to the DMV. We had to wait for four hours because she took a little longer to get ready that morning. I didn't really mind though because we did spend the whole wait time just talking and laughing."

"I have so many memories but the one which stands out most in my mind, heart and soul is the memory of my daughter getting her driver licence. I know to many this may seem like just another day but to me it was bittersweet. We left for DMV on a beautiful sunny day. She was going to have to take the road test. She was talking a lot during the car ride there and during the long wait. I know the talking was just her being nervous about the test. She was nervous about driving with a stranger in the car. I was unsettled for other reasons. To me this was a milestone in our time together. She was getting a new kind of freedom. A whole new world was opening up for her. She had more freedom and even though this is the natural course for a young girl I couldn't help but dread the day a little. She has grown independent. She would not need me for that much longer. I know I did a great job with her and am very proud of her for passing that test with flying colors, It is just slowly moving closer to the time when she will be leaving to live her own life."

'I got married earlier this year. Rain was in the forecast and it rained all day. Luckily, the weather turned right when we said our vows.'

"Earlier this year, my wife and I were married. After a long, 18-month planning process, we finally set a date for May. When the day finally came, it was a beautiful morning in the mids 60s. We thought this was going to be the picture perfect day for weather to celebrate. By noon, it began to turn. I got a text from my future wife that there was a torrential downpour. She began to panic. I assured her that in an hour or so, the weather would pass. An hour came. The weather did not pass. As the rain continued to fall and the caterers in crisis mode, I tried to stay calm. This was an outdoor wedding. Didn't Alanis Morisette say something about rain on your wedding day? As guests began coming, the rain slowly and slowly lessened. Right at the very moment our vows were to be said, the sky opened up. The rain was gone. The grey backdrop and wind provided for a legendary wedding."

'My husband and I went on a cruise to Alaska in May of 2019. We rode on a plane for the first time in our lives. The trip was a once in a lifetime experience.'

"My husband and I went on a cruise to Alaska to celebrate our wedding anniversary and my retirement. It was the first time on a plane for both of us. I was a bit nervous as we were flying in on the day of departure so a plane delay could mean missing the trip, but I did have trip insurance. Luckily, we did not encounter any delays and we arrived in plenty of time. I had booked a transfer from the airport to the Pier, and the bus driver gave us a tour on the way. We passed the Space Needle which was awesome! Once at the Pier, we had to wait a bit to board. When we got on board, we went directly to wait in line to eat. It had been hours since we had any real food and we were not able to go to our rooms yet. We walked around a bit and then finally went to our cabin. Our vacation was finally starting! The days were filled with food, scenery, movies, casinos, shows and some land excursions. Exploring different parts of the ship kept us very busy. The most memorable part of the cruise was when we went into Glacier Bay - the scenery was breathtaking! We saw the glacier break apart into the water a few times, once was a large break. I took so many pictures but I couldn't fully capture the beauty and awe of the all of the moments. This trip was a once in a lifetime experience...even if I go back, I could never fully experience the magic of the first time - but it would be fun to try!"

'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.'

'My daughter and I were going to see Matilda. She loved the books growing up and was really excited to see it live. We couldnt get close parking and had to park in a lot a few streets down. As we were about to enter the venue i heard a loud thump and see this girl, who was about ten, launched into the air. She hit the ground hard and was not moving. The noisy city street turned silent after that. No one was moving to help and i knew i had to do something. I have basic medical training so i rushed over to the little girl. I pointed out someone in the crowd to call 911. As he was on the phone with them i made sure that no one would move her. I noticed that she was not breathing and tried to administer cpr to her. It seemed like it wasnt working at all and right when i was about to give up hope a little breathe escaped from her mouth. I instantly felt a sigh of relief come across my body. I knew we werent safe though. She clearly had broken her arm and one of her legs. She started to come to and in she was panicked. I helped comfort her and tried to keep her calm and still. Luckily the EMTs arrived shortly after that. They loaded her on a stretcher and took her to the hospital. Her mother was a complete wreck the whole time, and i could not blame her. I do not know if could have kept my cool if it was my daughter in that position. We missed the show but I was not saddened by that fact. My mind was only focused on the thought that i hoped she was ok.'

'Last summer my daughter had her wedding. It was a beautiful and simple, small wedding. It was held in the trees, up in the mountains.'

'The memorable event in my life was my daughters wedding last summer, in July. She and her fiance(now husband) had a very simple, beautiful wedding in the mountains. They wanted an intimate, small wedding and that\'s exactly what it was. There were only about 25 guests invited. Several of us camped for the weekend at a campsite area where they held the ceremony. The grooms uncle officiated the ceremony, which made it even more special for everyone. A simple ceremony was held among the trees, while the guests sat in chairs to witness the vows. She was so beautiful and the ceremony so lovely, it made me cry. This was such a significant event in my life and I think about it very often. We now also have the pictures and video of the wedding to enjoy looking at. After the ceremony was a lunch and reception at their campsite. The traditions of cake and cake cutting, dancing, etc was done. Later that afternoon we all drove up to the top of the mountain and the uncle performed a "hand ceremony" for them. Beautiful Mount Rainier was in the background. It was very special.'

'Finding out how caring my grandmother was to everyone she would take people out the street and provide them with everything. How much she wanted for all of us to get along and how she planned everything before she passed.'

"Dear diary, My grandmother passed away 4 months go and i was very hurt because i was very closed to her, i was mad at myself because the last time i saw her i did not spend much time with her as much as she wanted with me. But i was also glad i got to tell her how much i loved her days before she passed. After her funeral we all celebrated and all of us had amazing stories to tell about our amazing loving grandmother. Her side of the family that was still alive came, also my grandfathers side of the family came. All her friends and all the people she has helped over the years also attendant. She also planned weeks before she passed away. Her and my grandfather had a talk and she also wrote letters to each and everyone of us along with a video. She had also planned her whole funeral and i thought that was amazing. The funeral that she planned for her self was great and hope i could do that when its time for me to go. We all celebrated the whole day. People that we haven't seen in years came and i felt like that brought us a bit closer. Ever since that has happened we plan family Friday twice a month, we all get together and just have fun. One of the moment of that day i will never forget was when it was time to bury her, when it was time to go down it started to rain so hard out of no where and it stopped when she was finally cover. I thought that was strange but amazing because it made me feel like she was saying goodbye to us. Even though it was sad it was also a good day because the stories that i heard were great and also learned new things about her that i never knew, I will never forget that day."

'after some day passed my dad do business and run the business very well finally he achieve the goal give a trible amount to that man. but the we never forget the shameful moment. the painful moment in my life...'

"when i was born. we are very poor family. my dad don't has enough money to run the family. they put many effort. and hard work to earn money. but he has one dream. he don't like to work as a worker. he wants to run a new business. so he and his some friends plan. and join the business. finally my dad achieved his dream. and solve all the problem money problem step by step. after some day passed my dad do business. and run the business very well. finally he achieve the goal give a trible amount to that man. but the we never forget the shameful moment. the painful moment in my life...we live a happy life now. my"

'My cat had a medical emergency and nearly died. I felt terrified that he was not going to make it but the urinary catheter and surgery saved his life.'

"In the last three to six months, my cat ended up having a medical emergency that really frightened me. I had just gotten home from a trip to New York at around 1:00 in the morning. My sister had texted me earlier that day saying my our cat, Nyx, had been squatting as if he were straining. At the time, I thought Nyx was a female cat and assumed it was most likely a urinary tract infections since blockages were rare in females. I told her I would take Nyx to the vet the next day. When I got home, Nyx was laying on his side almost lifeless and barely moving. Out of concern, I felt his bladder and it was very hard. Realizing that Nyx was actually blocked, I woke my dad and sister up and said that we need to go to MedVet immediately because he probably wasn't going to make it until our regular vet opened. We rushed him to the closest animal hospital and the vet techs immediately took him to the back room. I felt terrified that he was going to die. When the veterinarian informed us that Nyx was actually a male cat, I felt angry that the shelter we got him from misinformed me. I would have told me sister to take Nyx to the vet when she first texted me if I had known that Nyx was a male cat. I knew blockages were more likely to occur in males and I wouldn't have risked his life by telling her to wait until I got home. On top of feeling terrified Nyx is going to die, I was also very anxious about the financial cost. My dad was very kind and offered to help me pay for it, so that help me a bit more relief. The veterinarian said that Nyx's urethral passage was so unusually narrow that the vet techs were having trouble placing a urinary catheter in to drain his bladder. If they couldn't place a urinary catheter, then the prognosis was not going to be good for Nyx. While we could afford temporary care until we got Nyx to his regular vet when they opened, we could not afford to pay for a surgery at the animal hospital. The whole situation felt hopeless to me. I felt very anxious and I was shaking the entire time until I learned that they finally managed to place the urinary catheter. I was finally able to go home and sleep for a couple of hours. As soon as Nyx's regular vet opened, I picked up Nyx from the animal hospital and felt so relieved that he looked a little more lively. His regular vet told us he would likely need surgery to widen his urethra in order to prevent this from happening again. Nyx ended up staying the rest of the weekend at the regular vet before coming home with me. Overall, the whole experience was terrifying, upsetting, and made me feel anxious."

'I was fired over something they claimed I didn\'t do. I did do it, but the tape showing the proof "didn\'t exist anymore". I was totally set up to be fired by my supervisor.'

"Dear Diary, I just got fired! I was called into the back where the new supervisor and manager were sitting (super was on vacation). They said that my supervisor said I hadn't' cleaned the hood, and after like 10 minutes of us running around and me poking holes in the stories they were spouting I got my shit and left. It was pretty funny actually, they like expected me to be sad or something. The HR guy was on the line through a remote location. They basically just sat me down and said I didn't clean the hood. I told them that yes I did, and told them they should look to whatever day I cleaned the bins. Then I asked when they were asking people if I cleaned if they asked my other coworker. They said they had not. When I asked to review the tapes myself, the tapes didn't exist anymore. Like seriously how sketchy is that lol. I was so mad just about that really. Also they noted the hood was dirty 22 days after I supposedly cleaned it. They addressed it to me almost 45 days after I cleaned it. And by the time they were firing me over it, the tape didn't exist. what a bunch of malarkey, really."

'I lost a huge amount of money in the market market. I was naive and greedy and it was my fault. Having waited for over 4 months learning the ways and patterns of the market.'

"On the 1st July 2019 i lost a total of $100 as my entire deposit to my life forex trading account. This is a day i cant forget because i tried trading Gold/USD. This pair did a heavy count on my head. From this is realized that the Forex Market isnt a playground. I was really marveled by this occurrence. It was a little bit hard for me to take in. After over 4 months waiting patiently to go live and now having everything taken from me. Though from my end i knew i over leveraged because of my greed to make quick money. Who knows own a lamborghini thinking of this sometimes i tend to blame myself again. I am to be blamed for how everything went. I take full responsibility for the outcome of my actions. If there's one thing i learnt as well from this is to accept your fault and move on. Trading Has never been more hard. I was really enlightened and see that this shouldn't be a hobby but profession. This was how the 1st of July 2019 Went for me."

'I found out my friend died from brain cancer while I was teaching. The kids, who normally misbehaved, where much more compassionate than I expected.'

'I will always remember where I was when I got the phone call. It was 2nd period math class and my 4th graders were rowdy as usual. I could tell their attention was slipping and I was having trouble getting them to pay attention. I was feeling a little miserable and sorry for myself. One of the administrators poked her head into my classroom and I remember thinking one of the kids was having a family emergency. I stepped out into the hallway. My friend\'s wife Susan was sobbing on the phone as she told me my friend had passed. I felt all the air go out out of my lungs. My stomach dropped. I was in shock. I walked back into my classroom, numb. I started packing my things to go. The administrator had gone to get a substitute teacher. The kids could all see that something had happened and settled down. One of the girls asked if I was OK. I said "my friend died" without even really meaning to. The kids got me tissues and tried to distract me as we waited for the sub.'

"W suddenly and unexpectedly found a home to rent in the country with horse favilities for my wife's horses. We are happy to be moving, but it's a lot of work at a hard time of year to be moving. We will miss our old neighborhood, but there are a lot of advantages to our new situation."

"Unexpectedly, my wife and I found a home to rent in the country. It is on a small parcel, but is set up as a horse property. We had been looking for aplace like that since we moved to the area three years ago. Nothing was available at the time, so we rented a home in town, and have since boarded the horses several different places. Most recently, they have been at a large horse facility several miles away, that my wife has to commute to once or twice a day. We are very pleased to be moving to a more rural location, without the traffic noise and close neighbors we have here. We will be a bit disappointed to be further away from all the amenities and entertainment we enjoy here in town, and can cycle to, but we will adjust. It's no further of a commute to work for me in terms of time than where we are now. I'm really looking forward to the quiet and being able to see the stars again! It is stressful to pack up and move right now, with the garden burgeoning and my summer field schedule at work. I am having to take almost two weeks off of work, and have a lot to do, so I will have to keep checking in as we proceed with our packing, moving and cleaning. I will be relieved when this move is over and we are settled in. The landlord is a colleague of my wife's in her equestrain group, and is very nice. The horses will love being in the country, and not competing with all the other horses at the boarding stable. I can't wait to be there, but am dreading the moving tasks. My back will not be happy with all the manual labor - lifting, hauling, etc. We fortunately have a number of friends willing to assist. We need to throw a party after we've moved in to celebrate."

"We went to a wedding of two friends and I ended up helping out a ton even though I wasn't even in the wedding. My wife really appreciated the help and this led to amazing sex later that night."

'It was a normal day, but a tinge of something special. I woke up on time as normal, though I wouldn\'t be going to work today. Well, I guess in a way we did end up working. It\'s the day of a wedding, specifically for my two friends Paul and Hannah. They got engaged last summer, and it reminds me now of when my wife and I introduced them to each other. During breakfast my wife said something along the lines of, "You better be ready to help them out! You know they couldn\'t hire many workers so almost everybody in attendance will be helping out!" I groaned, but she consoled me. "I\'m sure there\'s some kind of benefit to this all... You know, maybe even later tonight." Well, I knew exactly what that meant, and she knew exactly how much it\'d motivate me. The wedding was fine and all, but I couldn\'t get my mind off of what my wife mentioned. I really just wanted to get out of there and do it. But well, we really did have to help out. I ended up helping with the cooking and disposing of trash. My wife also helped with the cooking, teasing me a bit every now and then, but I didn\'t see her much until that night. Well, she looked more beautiful than ever, and I couldn\'t get my mind off of her. As we left, she said, "Well that wasn\'t so bad, was it?" "You know why..." I said, slyly. Well, according to that night, I knew exactly why.'

'A student failing in Algebra 2 needed help just 3 months before school ended. His mom reached out for help and found me through an add in a neighborhood website. I took the job and his grade went from F to B+ at the end of the school; year!'

"It was a friend in my bible study group who got my attention to an ad in our neighborhood website. She knew I was a Math tutor. So I looked up the ad and found it. The mom who wrote the ad sounded desperate. She said they had tried another tutor before but it did not help her son. I always liked to help students in Math. My high school Math teacher made me enjoy working with Math. She was very patient with her students. She was also knowledgeable. She inspired me so much that I decided to take Engineering in college. To take Engineering, one must be well versed in Math. So I called the mom who wrote the ad and gave her my experience and a few testimonies from former students' parents. I told her how all of my students had passed their subjects at year end. In addition, all of my students passed their Virginia SOL tests. I worked with her son. Went over his homework and test review packets. Immediately he got good grades from his tests so that by the end of the year her son finished with a B+ in Algebra 2 ! She even gave me a gift card in addition to my regular fee!"

"I was thinking about my daughter's high school graduation. It brought up memories, but it also led me to examine what happened afterwards - her summer."

"I was thinking about a memorable event that occurred recently. I think that I would like to talk about graduation day. I have four daughters that I adopted from China. They are beautiful girls turning into beautiful and very special women. As the school year for 2018-2019 was winding down, I was getting ready for my second daughter to graduate. This was an exciting time. She was very excited and could not wait to walk onto that stage. I was so proud of her. I couldn't contain myself. She exuded confidence and held her head up high. She was always quite the go-getter. She signed up for many clubs and ran some of the clubs as well. She was always willing to help someone out and was liked by her teachers. I was proud of the way she carried herself. When she applied for college, she was accepted at every one she applied for. Of course she took the one that was at the top of her list. I write about graduation because right now I am getting ready to take her to college. She has had a jam-packed summer. She started her first real job and just completed it this week. She will always have that retail experience under her belt and will always be able to find a job in this field. If that wasn't enough, she took on a second part-time job as well. She also purchased most of the items for her dorm herself. Okay and if that's not enough, she has also accepted her first job at college. I digress. Watching her walk down the aisle at graduation was amazing."

"Went to a wedding for a relative I hadn't seen in a long time. Unintentionally crashed someone else's wedding."

"I was on my way to my uncles wedding. It was a bit of a road trip that made it a hassle to arrive on time. Unfortunately, they changed the venue at the last moment and I didn't get the notification. Now I hadn't seen this uncle for probably approaching 15 years. So my recollection of him was hazy. Plus time changes us all. So we finally arrived after wading through traffic for the last 2 hours. Somehow, we ended up on time. We entered the hotel, and refreshed in their restroom quick. Next we found the conference room that was where the reception should have been in full swing. As we entered the room I scanned around looking for relatives I would recognize. I started to get a bit concerned that there weren't any familiar faces. We slid into some empty seats by the back wall and looked around for a bit. As I started to explain to my date that something might be sorely wrong, and older fellow sat down next to us. He stated telling us stories about the groom, his nephew William. Problem was, my uncles name was Ed. Wrong wedding. So we hastily made a exit and a few phone calls later were on our way to the correct venue."

"My old neighbors moved out and my new neighbor moved in. I was concerned about what type of person my new neighbor might be, but as it turns out, there was absolutely nothing to worry about. My new neighbor's great."

"When someone moves out of the rental property next to me, I never know who's going to move in. Most of the time, that's not a problem, but every now and then, it is. I've had to put up with some incredibly obnoxious neighbors there in the past. Consequently, I always hold my breath when someone's moving out until I know who's going to live there next, always hoping for the best. This new neighbor moved in as fast as my old neighbors moved out. I heard her over there the first day she was there and I walked over to introduce myself to her. She's ten years older than I am, single, and very pleasant. As it turns out, surprisingly, we know a lot of the same people and have a lot of interests in common. Our values seem to be the same, and both of us want to be good neighbors, which is a relief to both of us. (She was concerned about what type of person I was, too.) My new neighbor and I quickly started becoming friends. When we see each other outside, we always take a few minutes to exchange pleasantries and talk. She has trouble doing some things because she has a bad back, so I've been helping her out whenever I can. She's so grateful for that, she's gone out of her way to do some things for me. She loves to cook and she's shared meals with me. She has little dinner parties every other week or so and I'm always invited. I've really enjoyed getting to know my new neighbor. I always enjoy seeing her and I know she's there for me. If I have to go away, I know she'll keep an eye on the place for me, and likewise, I'd do the same for her. It makes living in such close proximity very comfortable, and that's worth its weight in gold."

"My diary entry is about my youngest son's first day at nursery school and our experience with dropping him off."

"Summer had come to an end and it was the first day of my youngest son's time at a Montessori nursery school. His brother, now 3 years old, had just completed his second year in the spring and had now moved on to his next program elsewhere. My wife and I were very excited to see our youngest get to experience the school and its teachers, but we were also nervous because the temperment of both boys has shown they are very different. Our oldest is adventurous to the point of being reckless. He is now very self-sufficient and communicates his needs. Our youngest tends to be very needy, and clings to me and his mother. We had flashbacks to the first few days of dropping off our other son and he would cry terribly at first. We had our youngest all dressed and his bag packed with changes of clothes, diapers, and blankets for napping with. We drove on the expressway through downtown and tried to explain what he could expect from the day. We tried to tell him that he would be meeting his new teachers and that he would get to do new activities, read stories, and meet new friends. And then we would be ready to pick him up soon. When we got to school, we parked out front and I helped get him out of his car seat. We had him walk on the sidewalk, holding my hand, and he held onto his own lunchbox. We took a moment to pose him in front of the school's sidewalk sign (the same place we snapped a picture of our other son on his first day). Spirits seemed high, so we entered the classroom. It was busy, yet quiet - several other families were sitting near the cubbies getting their kids to change into their indoor shoes, hang up their belongings, and part ways. Our son seemed to take to it, but was definitely clinging close to us. When it was time for us to go, we led him to the entrance of the classroom and had him hold hands with one of his teachers who led him to where the other children were. He looked back at us with tears in his eyes and started bawling. We knew it would be better to make a quick exit, rather than prolong this. We got back in the car with mixed emotions and drove off. By the time I had arrived to work, the teacher had shared out a picture of our son doing a few of the activities at school. He looked a bit weapy, but was smiling in the pictures and I remember that making me feel so good for him and glad that he was safe, happy, and cared for."

'The brunch was at a place that had a "night club" theme. We all dressed up and enjoyed the celebration with the loud music and the "Alice in Wonderland" like atmosphere.'

'One event that was memorable to me was my best friends 25th birthday. She is such a hard worker and great person that I wanted to make sure that her birthday was extra special. Her boyfriend reached out to me to make sure we coordinated bringing the balloons and cake. She wanted to do a brunch with a few friends. Plus the place she picked had a really good menu. I was able to suprise her with a big dessert that had sparklers and seeing the suprise and happiness on her face made it all worth it. I had never before had the confidence or opportunity to be able to to suprise a friend on his or her birthday. I was very happy that I was finally able to. Someone was able to get a picture perfectly capturing the moment. I know the friendship that we share shows throughout the entire event. And it was a different experience that we all had. Even though 3 of the people we went with were almost denied entrance. Thankfully my friends boyfriend spoke with the bouncer and worked something out. I almost got lost getting there but thankfully Google maps helped me out. I am confident to say regardless all of it she had a great day.'

'While driving home with my wife and kids, we were nearly forced off the road by an aggressive driver. After passing us, we saw her pulled over by a highway patrol officer.'

"Yesterday I was almost in a car accident. I was driving home from my parent's house with my wife and kids when a car behind us started tailgating. After following us closely for a few miles, the car started swerving into the other lane. With each successive attempt to pass, the car got closer and closer to hitting us. In the passenger's seat, the driver's husband was yelling at his wife and clapping in her face very aggressively. What appeared to be their daughter in the back seat was yelling loudly and appeared to be scared. After nearly forcing us off the road multiple times, the group was able to pass us before a highway on ramp. They were still stuck behind multiple vehicles who they also started to follow much too closely. They tried to pass the car in front of them on the on ramp unsuccessfully. When it came time to merge onto the highway, they swerved in front of highway traffic trying to get ahead of the cars in front of them. After merging onto the highway they sped away out of our sight. My wife and I looked incredulously at each other and wondered if we should call the police. I remarked that we didn't get the license plate and the car was nearly out of sight. Within five miles, we saw a vehicle pulled over on the side of the road by a highway patrol officer. My wife and I laughed happily and in relief as the wreck less driver had been caught."

'The event described details my wedding which occurred in December of 2018. The details described go over the year leading up to the event and the actual day itself.'

'The event I am describing is not too far off in the past. It was December of 2018 and it was the year I got married. The time leading up to this event seemed to fly by fast. From the planning stages to the picking out of the venue and all the extras that come along with it. In my mind I figured this would feel like a drawn out process. However, looking back, it seemed like it flew by in the blink of an eye. What seemed like a point where we would have all the time in the world to plan and prep for everything we needed turned into a few last minute wants and needs that were taken care of only days before. I think most people were worried about the weather since it took place on December 15th. Chicago area weather is unpredictable, especially during the winter so it would be a game day decision on how things would go down. The day however, ended up being quite nice and the weather was unseasonably warmer than usual. Everything went off without a hitch and like the previous months of planning, the day seemed to be over in a blink of an eye. No major issues arose and everyone and everything was where it needed to be when needed. I think the biggest issue to arise was that someone twisted their ankle on the dance floor. In my book, if that is the worst thing to happen then that is a positive. The night ended, and all I remember is being exhausted from running around and entertaining guests and other family. I barely even had a chance to take a shot with family and friends to celebrate!'

'I spontaneously listed my home for sale which ended up working out too fast with a cash sale and a 3 week closing,'

'Recently I was looking to purchase a home. While doing so I listed my house for sale by owner. While a house I wanted to purchase did not work out my home still was for sale online and someone decided to see it. A few days later a lady came over to look at the house with her realtor. She spent about an hour there checking it out. About an hour after leaving her realtor called and they put a cash offer on my house that I could not refuse. Because she was a cash buyer the sale of the house was scheduled within 3 weeks of signing the agreement. I went from casually looking for a house to 3 weeks out from the sale. I had to quickly find a rental while I look for my new house. It took me almost 10 days to find a place that I wanted to sign a lease for but I did end up finding one. Between getting the keys and signing the papers I had a total of 6 days to move my entire home. The home inspection went well then it was down to the closing. The closing went smoothly and I walked out no longer being a home owner. Definitely a really random and stressful situation that worked great in my favor. All in all it was a great success.'

'There was a plan in place for my parents to move to Texas where I had an 8 month window to save money. Suddenly they decided no, we need to leave now and the window dropped to a month and a half. That left me in a terrible financial situation and struggling to find a place to live.'

"I remember three months ago I was in a terrible position because of something out of my control. It all started with my parents. They originally decided to move to Texas in 8 months and we planned around that date. However, at some point they decided that they had to move sooner. They said it was because of an offer they got on their house and they really didn't want to miss the opportunity to sell above market value. The problem is this was a very difficult position for me because I was budgeting to have enough money to move in eight months. When they moved up the date, I began panicking because I would not be able to afford to move to Texas with them and I would have no where to live if I stayed here. The whole situation turned out to be a really big strain not just on me but on my relationship with my parents. Having no choice but to move with them in a month and a half turned my life upside down. I turned to a friend of mine who I knew I could trust and I asked them what I should do. My friend told me I should make a decision based on reason and logic. He suggested I write down a list of all of the options I have and the pros and cons of each. That way, I could visualize the problem and have a better chance of making the right choice. By approaching it like a math problem and adding up the option with the most pros, I was able to make an informed decision. Even after using this strategy, I still took several nights to sleep on my decision just to make sure it was what I wanted to do. In the end, I decided to move with my parents and leave everything behind for a fresh start in Texas."

"I had chest pains for two days but as a mom, I ignored it because mom's aren't suppose to be sick. It got worse and landed me in the ER. It was a scary moment in my life."

"About 3 months ago, I started to notice some weird sensations in my chest. It happened pretty infrequently at first, and I just sort of ignored it. It bothered me of course, but I figured it was nothing. I am too busy with my kid to get sick. I should be able to power through illness, right? My kid comes first. I ignored the warning signs. But then it started to happen more frequently over the course of a couple of days. It started to become more painful. The pain got bad enough that it started to take my breath away. This all escalated so quickly over the course of a couple of days. Finally I couldn't ignore it anymore. My spouse noticed and told me I needed to go to the ER, I could be having a heart attack. So he loaded me and my kid up and we drove to the ER. I had to get a lot of tests done, and I wish I would have gone in sooner. I am ok now, but I will never ignore something like that again."

'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 was bathing at night when my children ran into my room and knocked on my bedroom door. They told me that my car just left on the back of a truck. I had expected that my car was going to be repossessed because husband had been ordered to make that car payment. He failed to do so. I felt horrible and I felt scared because I was unsure what I was going to do. He had been ordered by the court to make the payments. We eventually had a contempt hearing where he was ordered to catch up all bills and he would be paying the payment on a new vehicle. It worked out well for me though because the new car I received was a lower payment. Eventually I will have to take that payment over and when I do I will be able to afford it. Everyone thinks my ex is a loser including myself. I was so furious with him for not caring enough to make sure his children had transportation. I have been in an ongoing divorce situation for almost a year. Who would have thought a divorce would take this long to happen. He is arguing over finances. He barely visits the children.'

'I went on a little roadtrip with my husband and a friend for a few days. We had no where in particular in mind to go but we went camping, saw waterfalls, went to an arcade, tag-sales, sight seeing areas, and fun spots. We enjoyed lots of good food and beverages and was a fun little trip!'

'I went on a little road trip with my husband and a friend. We just jumped in the car and drove around for a few days, with no where in particular in mind to go. We went to a couple waterfalls. My husband went swimming one time, but it was too cold for our friend and I. Glad my husband had fun swimming though! Brr! My husband got a drone that he brought to record all the scenery. He lost it twice. The first time he was able to find it way up in a tree, but it took a lot of time an effort to get it back. Then later on in the day he lost it at another water area. This time the wind took it and he had no idea where it went, so we had to accept it as gone for good. We camped out only one night. We were planning on camping more, but the boys complained too much the one time saying the ground was too hard and it was too cold out, so we got hotels the other nights. For dinner when we camped we had veggie hot dogs and baked beans. We bought some other things to go with the meal at a cute nearby store, but I forgot now what they were. We ate lots of good food overall. We had lots of wines and different cheeses and chocolates, and even got tequila one night. We had pancakes for breakfast several times. Pancakes are awesome. We stopped at a few tag sales and got some fun finds. We went to at least one arcade and we collected a lot of tickets and got some fun prizes. It was a fun little trip!'

'Helped my brother out with the kids for 2 weeks. Needed to baby sit while he and my sister in law had to do other obligations.'

"Got to my brothers house. Was a great trip. They already nned me to go to the store for them. Nobody home yet. He won't be back until late, same as my sister-in-law. When the nephew gets home, need to get him a snack and take him to swim practice. At least my niece isn't going anywhere tonight. They'll be picking up pizza on the way home. I guess my brother will pick up my nephew, as well. Well, we didnt eat until 8pm. Didn't even have much time to talk with the family. Looks like we are taking the kids to the park tomorrow so everyone wants to get sleeping early tonight. Well, the next day we spent 8 hrs at the park. Man, I was so tired. Went on a few rides which I will not do again. Had to do it for the kids, though. They think I'm the cool uncle so had to live up to the hype. It was fun over all. Needed some fun cause the rest of the week was me playing the role of chauffer. I need to take my niece and nephew to two different events everyday, and pick them up when they are done. Some I stayed to watch but other times I went back to the house to get some swimming in mysel. It is hot down in the soth and is great that they have a pool. Well, the 2 weeks just flew by and and time for me to head back north. Not used to that kind of hussle and bussle. Great to be back home, though."

'A car accident involving a child not another vehicle. It was very personal and involved me. It was also a bit traumatizing.'

"9 months ago was a very traumatizing day for me. I was on my way to a friends house for dinner when I got into an accident. A car accident isn't rare, but this one was. I was driving in my friend's neighborhood, almost at her house, when a kid ran out into the street chasing his soccer ball. I had absolutely no time to react fast enough to miss him. I hit him right when I saw him. When it happened, I of course braked, put the car in park, and froze. I couldn't believe it. It took me like 10 seconds before I got out. I was praying he wasn't dead. 3 people can running over. 1 was yelling at me, which honestly pissed me off. Turns out it was his mom. After making sure the kid was fine, she yelled at me more. I told her I have a dash cam and can show her it was her negligence and letting her kid run out in the street that caused this. She got even angrier, and then one of her neighbors said she saw the whole thing and confirmed I had no time to react. The cops were called, they watched the video, and I was not in trouble. I still felt awful, though."

'I officiated my first wedding this summer for my best friend. It was one of the best moments of my life.'

"One month ago I was lucky enough to be the officiant for my best friend's wedding. What an honor that was! I felt very blessed to be such an integral part of their special day. It was a beautiful summer wedding and I'm glad it was my first. It was such a lovely experience, but two moments in particular stick out to me. The first is when my best friend, the bride, walked down the aisle. She was stunning! She had her dark hair in an intricate up-do and perfectly done makeup. Her dress was sleeveless, had lots of perfectly placed lace, and fit her like it made especially for me. It was almost as if she walked straight out of a bridal magazine! The groom's expression was so wholesome. He had tears in his eyes and I heard him clear his throat a few times. I got choked up too, seeing him being so in love with my best friend. The second moment was when they exchanged their vows. They chose to write their own. Neither were big writers, but both wrote some of the most beautiful words I have ever heard. Their love for each other really showed. It was hard to keep my composure as the officiant because the moment was so breathtaking. When she asked me to do this, I did not realize how important this moment would feel to me. I simply thought I would be doing them a favor, but it was so much more than that. I was able to join my best friend and the love of her life together in holy matrimony. This is a day I will never forget and will cherish forever."

"I went to a concert with a coworker who I didn't know that well. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that we have a lot in common and I made a new friend."

"A few weeks ago I went to a concert of my one of my favorite artists. I went with my wife and a coworker and her husband. I didn't know the coworkers that well as we work in different departments. I overheard her talking about liking a similar artist and asked if she was going to the concert. She said that it would be fun and then bought tickets. My wife and I met them near the venue and went to dinner before the show. We had a few drinks and had a good time with them. I was surprised how fun and entertaining my coworker is. She is a little older than my wife and I and I misjudged her based on her appearance. We talked a lot about music and I realized that she knew a lot of music and has very similiar musical tastes as me, which is surprising since I like a lot of lesser known bands. We then walked from dinner over to the concert venue, which was outside. I enjoyed the band a lot. I've seen them several times before so that was expected. I was really excited to have met someone to go to other concerts with. A lot of my friends don't like many of the shows that I want to go to. I was also excited to have a new friend at work."

'Basically I lost all my money playing automated roulette. It caused me to stop playing roulette altogether.'

"Recently I took a trip to Las Vegas. This trip was all for my brother's birthday who at the time was officially of drinking age. What I experienced was pretty weird and very strange. Being a night person I woke up around 1:00 pm that day. It was day two of our Vegas trip and we just made some money playing small stakes on some slots that day. At least I did my brother wasn't as lucky and was down some money. We made our way back to our room because my brother was pretty drunk at that time and was already pretty upset about losing so much money. Sitting on the bed though I still couldn't sleep probably due to the fact of my time clock. I decided to go back down to play some slots and told my brother I was going. After getting down there I felt an urge to go to the roulette wheel instead of slots. This would turn out to be a huge mistake later. It wasn't even the real roulette it was automated. I lost the money I had won previously and decided to get some more money. I betted on my usual numbers and the wheel would land 8 greens in a row depleting me of my bank balance and the rest of the money I had for the trip. I made my way back to my room sad and upset I would not play roulette for a long long time. It made me despise the game and I decided I would rather stick to slots. All in all it was a learning experience for me."

'I started a bookkeeping business. I am a stay at home mom that never thought that was a possibility. I have helped clients grow their businesses since I started.'

"I thought when I became a stay at home mom that I would have no options for income. I was resigned to the idea that I would be broke all the time and have to depend on my husband for any money I wanted or needed. My friend Jessica, who also stays home with her daughter, suggested I look into taking some night classes at the local community college. She said she was able to start her own business and work from home and make herself a decent income. My husband thought it was a great idea, so I took some business courses and got certified in accounting. After I finished the classes I jumped right into my business. I had some background in bookkeeping so it seemed smart to stick with what I knew. It has officially been 2 months since I started the bookkeeping business and it is going great. I have several clients who depend on me. I have been able to get quite a few referrals also. The best part is I can do all this work around the time I spend with my baby. I have been earning a great income and I feel so much better about myself. I am so glad I took my friends advice that day and looked into the courses. I think if I hadn't I would be losing my mind sitting at home doing nothing by now. One of the best parts of all this is that I have actually been able to help my clients build their own small businesses. BUt the absolute best part is that I still get to spend everyday with my baby, showing her what a strong and capable woman can do!"

"It was my son's birthday. We had a great time. He smashed his cake and made a mess. The year has gone by so fast!"

"My son turned one a few months ago. We had planned a small party, just ourselves and grandma. We decided to do a cake smash to get some cute photographs. I baked a cake and decorated it with cut strawberries. We tried to take a video of him smashing the cake, but he was too obsessed with the strawberries. He insisted on picking off and eating each one individually. Eventually we had to turn off the video and just wait for him to finish eating the strawberries. When he finally did get to the cake, he jumped right in with both hands and made such a mess. It was adorable and made for some great pictures. I think I was the only parent who ever wanted their kid to stop eating fruit and eat cake! It was so fun though. He had a great time. We're looking forward to the next one. I enjoy showing the photos to other people. He's one cute kid!"

'On the eve of my nieces high school graduation a large thunderstorm rolled through the city, ruining restaurant plans for the whole family that had come from all over the country for the event. This caused us to re-coordinate the evening while much the city was still without power and flooded.'

"This took place on the eve of the high school graduation of one of my nieces. We had dinner scheduled at a local fine-dining restaurant for the whole family, over ten of us in all, many of whom had traveled from across country. My mother, sister, and her husband were staying with me and my girlfriend, and the larger extended family were staying either at hotels or my brother's house on the north side of the city. About 45 minutes before we were going to leave for dinner I noticed a fairly large storm headed our way on my phone weather app. I didn't think much of it, just that we might get some rain and thunder. I was glad to see the rain because the city could use it. What we ended up receiving was a torrential downpour, 60 mile per hour gusts of wind, hail, strong lightning, and a power outage throughout much of our city. The storm blasted through the city in less than 1 hour but left in it's wake thousands of downed trees, power lines, and many flooded streets. Personally, at my house, it knocked out power, blew down a wall of planters where we had a herb garden planted, and damaged some branches on a tree in the front yard, but we were luckily spared any larger damage. After the storm had abated we decided to head to the restaurant, not knowing the extent of the damage the city had faced. Driving down to the restaurant we had to navigate downed tree branches, electrical lines, flooding, dead traffic lights, and emergency vehicles. When we made it to the restaurant and they were out of power as well, and wouldn't be able to open until power was restored, and nobody knew when that would happen. Fortunately, cell phone networks still worked, so we started to organize and decide on a new plan. My brother still had electricity up where he lives, so we ended up driving to my brother's house and ordering a bunch of pizza from Dominoes and chowing down on cheap pizza and just partying with the whole family and having a good time. It was a memorable experience and one that, I feel, will stick with me much more vividly than if we just had a nice dinner at the restaurant."