Dear Um0810,

I do not think you are failure at all. Your post here helps me and will help so many others who use these Forums to feel less isolated and alone with their own personal grief and pain. That is not only a healing gift, but often a life saving gift. So many people on these Forums are living day to day and on the very edge and your honest and heartfelt post will help them to keep going. That is every bit as life saving as the work done by critical care professionals.

There are orders of greatness. All the physical strength in the world cannot equal intellectual greatness. But all the intellectual greatness in the world cannot equal a single act of helping others. There is an old saying that says: "Whoever helps to save a single life has saved the entire world." I think you are such a person. Such heroism is infinitely beyond academic accomplishments. I hope you will continue to post here on the Forums. In so doing, you will help so many, many people. I think you are a great person!

Sincerely yours, Yao Wen