When I was 25, I was terrified of being alone, although that is what I truly needed in order to grow up. I needed to find out who I really was- in relation to myself. I needed to find out what empty spaces I had inside, and how to fill them for myself. I was terrified of the thought of not having a boyfriend, an audience.

I hear in your letter the desire to be good, and to do good, and to do it with a partner. None of these is a bad thing. All are good and normal and natural. But I also hear you blaming the people YOU choose for not being what you want them to be. But you chose them.

Perhaps you should take a step back, and get to know yourself for a while. Then perhaps you'll be ready to choose someone appropriate for you, and be ready and willing to accept them for who they are. If you choose someone appropriate, that shouldn't be as difficult.

And, those two or three days of down aloofness... those aren't the boyfriend's fault, or the ex-boyfriend's fault, or anyone's fault. Two or three days of being down and aloof is your issue. I also would think that any person would not be thrilled to deal with you after three days of being hidden from and then blamed for it.

Taking responsibility for one's own self and one's own happiness is really fucking hard. It sucks. It means that it all depends on you. It's all you. But really, it's already been that way. It's already been all about you, at least in your own mind. So why not just admit it and do what you need to do?

The letter writer makes me want to throw up.

She thinks the main character in this story is her.

I just feel sick after watching the video and reading the article. ALL of our children are being harmed by the system that allows these children to lack adequate resources. We have to live in this world together. The better off others are, the better off we are, AND vice versa, if we do things in a way where everyone is treated as our country's constitution deemed we should all be treated- EQUALLY.

And, Laurel962, I thank those who are more affluent who pay their taxes. I thank everyone who pays taxes. My children benefit from those dollars. I'm thankful because I'm fortunate enough to live in an area that is mostly affluent, even though I'm not. Those families are helping to lift my children up.

There is a social contract inherent to citizenship. If you have money, you pay more taxes to improve the world around you. If you are benefiting from those dollars, you strive to become more productive to lift up those coming up after you.

The problem is hardly the affluent people who are paying their taxes. The problem is that the system isn't functioning properly.