What a fantastic, yea-saying piece you’ve expressed here, Mimi! My high school career was nearly an entire failure, and I couldn’t wait just to graduate and get the heck out of there, and on with life. Then, in the middle of my senior year (I was just turned 17 myself, at the time) I found the first teacher in 12 years who managed to inspire me. I caught the education bug from that teacher, late in the 11th hour of my education, and have been a student of life, ever since. My life has been a series of successes borne of failures. I wouldn’t change a single failure, or turn back a single success — it’s all been part of the ride, a sublime one, at that. Look forward to reading more of your work — you are on it!