Diana,

Words to live by. As are “I’ll show them! I’ll show them ALL! AH-hahahahaha!” (Maniacal laughter and orbital death ray are optional.) I just saw a video lecture last night by an author who wrote what became one of his most popular book series because a Utah State lit major told him he wasn’t a real fantasy writer. According to the author, “Spite is a wonderful motivator.”

I can’t say I have many moments that defined me the way you describe. I was always the kid who went along, kept my head down, didn’t volunteer for much, and didn’t care what people thought. My grades were good enough and I followed the rules enough that teachers used me as an example to the troublemakers: “Why can’t you be more like David?” (Which usually meant I walked the long way home from school for the next few days, because there’d be a gang waiting for me on my normal route.)

I think the one critic I wanted most to refute was my own doubt. I wasn’t sure I’d make a good husband or father. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to do the right thing when the trials of life and death visited my family. And I wasn’t sure I’d be a good single parent. But I wanted to. I wanted to prove to myself that I could do it, so I put myself in the position where I HAD to do it.

So far, so good. (grin) I don’t have many regrets.

Dave