Our last family portrait circa 1993. I didn't want to get near a camera. I had gained so much weight from my pregnancies. He would tell me I was too fat, he would tell me I was ugly. And I believed him. He turned to someone else, and I--to more food. He was released from the hospital today. He regrets hurting me he says. [Yeah, right] His loss, his regrets...not mine.

Regret is toxic. It keeps you from living your life. I’ve known tragic people who have harbored decades of regrets about the decisions they’ve made. They married the wrong person, made a bad career decision, trusted someone who wasn’t worthy, or found themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time not knowing what to do. Even when really bad things happen to us, even when we screw up royally, we must allow ourselves time to grieve and then move on with the knowledge that we are stronger and wiser because of our experiences.

When I think back on my life, I’m grateful for the richness and diversity of my adventures … even those that turned ugly. I’m aware that I fall on my face more often that the average girl, but that may be because I fight the urge to let fear control me. I love the heady rush of stepping into the unknown, having faith that everything is going to be all right.

No one walks out their door every morning thinking, "Today, I’m going to make a mess of my life." At the very minimum, we exit the safety of our homes intent on getting through the day the best we can. That’s good enough. It’s even better when we can take our dreams and ambitions with us. There’s lively excitement and adventure when we strive to do better than simply making it to the end of the day.

Passion cannot exist without courage. You must face your fears in order to live a passionate life.