Today is the last day of the blogging A to Z challenge and I fell behind. In my defense, it has been a pretty hectic week! But I am bound and determined to finish this, so here are the last three letters of the alphabet!

X is for the unknown — as in solving for X or the X-factor. I have a love-hate relationship with the unknown. Part of me hates it — it is uncomfortable and scary not to know what the future holds or what is going to happen or why things happen. It’s like straining your eyes on the dark, struggling with the unknown. But on the other hand, if it weren’t for the unknown, there wouldn’t be anything to debate or ponder or learn about. I love learning new things (that’s why I became a teacher — not because I love teaching but because I love learning) so when I encounter something I don’t know about, I enjoy learning about it. I’ll spend my life solving for X….

Y is for yogurt. A strange thing to write about, I realize. But I’ve never been much of a fan of yogurt but lately I’ve found some yummy ones that I enjoy! I love Greek yogurt with honey! I love for reasons to eat honey and Greek yogurt is a great reason! I have also discovered whipped Greek yogurt which is terrific! If you don’t like Greek yogurt because of the sour taste it has, trey a whipped version. No sour at all. I’ve also discovered this cream top yogurt which is to die for. The little bit of cream on the top really gives the yogurt some richness when it is mixed in! Then I also discovered by total accident coconut milk yogurt which is like silk in your mouth it is so smooth! If you’re not a fan of yogurt, now is a great time to retry it because there are so many different kinds out there now!

Z is for Zac. Zac is my friend Laura’s son. I never met Zac but Zac opened his life up for the world to see and learn from. Zac had schizophrenia and he allowed the world to see his life and his struggles and his triumphs. As soon as Zac was diagnosed, his mother dedicated herself to making sure her son was cared for which included eschewing her own life for all intents and purposes. It also included assuming huge amounts of debt and spending time advocating for her son as well as educating the world about metal illness. Sadly, Laura lost her son not long ago. His loss was felt by every person who knew him or knew of him. He was generous in his honesty. He used his life to make the world better by teaching us about mental illness. He left an indelible mark on this world. I never got to meet him but I am grateful I got to know about him. Please take the time to read this post from USA Today featuring Laura and her son Zac. It is called “The Fortunate Mother.” It is well worth your time. You can read about his death here. His bravery and his voice will be missed.