When I graduated high school in 2001 and went off to college, I would have never believed I would become a prostitute. But that’s exactly what ended up happening. I was excited to go away to school because it seemed more interesting than staying home and going to community college. While there I enjoyed the college scene: the parties, the freedom,...

In the weeks leading up to the NFL Superbowl, often a person's thoughts will return to the NFL greats of the past. Perennial all-stars like Joe Montana and Troy Aikman as well as those special stories with fairytale endings like Kurt Warner will probably come to mind. One name that you may have forgotten, or never heard about, is Rolf Benirschke....

On Saturday  November 8th, 2008 my world blew apart – literally.   I was carrying a package I thought was a gift when it exploded in my hands. We had recently sold our cozy townhouse and were excited to move into a larger home with a yard for our daughters.  The day started out with a quiet breakfast of tea and cinnamon buns.   We were...

Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words . . . can wound forever. Pictures of me as a little kid are really cute –– curly blond hair, a quick smile and eyes always looking for the next adventure. I had the confidence that comes from knowing you are truly loved. If we painted pictures at school, I painted three. I had a storybook childhood...

"I'm sorry, you're just not working out." The words pierced my heart like daggers of ice. "A nurse just has to be able to relate well with her patients. How can anyone who is sick or dying feel comforted when you fall apart at the drop of a hat? Unless a miracle happens, you will be failed (from this program) within a few weeks." My eyes...

Facing the unexpected? Don't do it alone, talk to a confidential email mentor. It’s been several years now, but I can still clearly picture the day I found out my teenage daughter was pregnant. I remember her standing in the kitchen saying, “Mom, embrace it!” My initial response to Amber’s words were, “Yeah, right, that’s easy for...

I am a New York City Police Officer. On July 12, 1986, I was on patrol in Central Park and stopped to question three teenagers. While I was questioning them, the oldest, a fifteen-year-old, took out a gun and shot me in the head and neck. Thanks to the quick action of my fellow police officers, I was rushed to a hospital. A few days later, once...