Well, I've had a conversation with Mel and while she says this hasn't affected our friendship, it feels obvious that it has. But what the heck, I can't say I didn't expect it. When you do what you feel you need to, you risk losing what's most precious to you. But if you never do it, you'll never ever know if you could ever have obtained it.

"It's better to attempt something great and fail, than attempt nothing and succeed."

And every failure, like every success, is another step along the path of life.

We're not going to talk for a week or so, and she'll "get in touch" with me later. Why does that sound so ominous?