42. Try one of these lists about yourself:

Life’s challenges

When I decided, at the end of my high school, to join the army and not exercise my option to get a deferment based on religious background my best friend, whom I was supposed to join on a kibbutz, felt I was betraying her.

I thought I was following my heart and being truthful to myself.

When at the end of my senior year in college, just before finals, my friend Dorit and I decided, on a moment’s whim, to buy a flight tickets and travel across Europe; just the two of us, my parents thought the timing was odd.

We thought we were being very brave, traveling like that when it was not yet the’ in’ thing to do.

When after a short, less than thirty minutes interview, I accepted a job that was clearly below my skill level so I can stay in Arad. My new boss while accepting my application, on the spot, raised an eye brow; my mother nodded her head as she did so many times before and after.

 I was excited and sure of myself, I knew I was in the right place.

When my husband and I pulled our youngest daughter out of school in the middle of her sixth grade and let her stay home, some of our best friends thought it was a challenge while others considered the act foolish, irresponsible, not to say illegal.

We thought it was the correct thing to do and that there was no other way.

When we decided after more than twenty years in one town and one house to pick up, tear our roots, and walk away, some people thought we were brave while others, while not saying anything to our face, thought we were cowards and running away from our commitments.

We thought we owe it to ourselves to try new things as we only have one life to live. 

When we decided to put all our savings into buying a small motel in Ellsworth Maine our children didn’t even flinch, they are used by now to us making off the wall decisions.

We spent many sleepless nights thinking, and rethinking this move, and then closed our eyes and jumped.