As today fades into a dark gray hue, I’m left thinking about how different today was, only one year ago.

Last year full of San Diego waters and the glory of being able to attend mass in a national Basilica, all while watching the flowers bloom around me. I’m reminded of a vacation that I knew would also remain a special part of me. My heart would remember the warmth of the sun and the love of my parents as we kept moving forward.

And today, I am moving forward. There is no warm sunshine to guide me to walk a little slower and look around, but there is still love. There is the joy of my family surrounding me, my pets at my side while I do homework, and the love we all share. There are lots of scary sights ahead, but there will always be the hope of what my today will look like a year from now.