By Teresa Cavaliere
West Palm Beach, FL, USA

Teresa Cavaliere (credit: Joseph J. Bucheck III)

It's always been either feast or famine in my life. I'm often asked, "How do you keep smiling?" Or, "Man, don't you get tired of getting up?”

We're always rising to some occasion. We can either participate or not. Me, I would rather be a participant. I've seen what the latter brings. Moving forward has always been my life's code. Good or bad, growing pains or celebratory. It means progress. Change can be good even when it's scary! If we were afraid as babies to take our first steps, who would have the strength to carry us all our lives? Can you imagine a civilization of quitters?

As the saying goes: Give a man a fish and he eats for a day. Teach a man to fish and he'll eat for a lifetime.

When I look back, my life was good…or was it? I still have so much more to learn. One thing I know for sure is that no one should underestimate the power and resilience of a mother when it comes to her children. We all make sacrifices. I wanted children. I take full responsibility.

What great life lessons my kids have had these past couple of years. So far, they have experienced economic crises, housing crises, wars, european countries going bankrupt because of an entitlement mentality and a President who's mostly checked out or on another vacation or simply waiting for someone else to make a decision, and learning that sometimes you have to let go. WOW!

Something tells me my teenage children will, years from now, sound like my grandparents, except they will be telling stories of the Great Recession instead of the Great Depression.

What are you - FEAST OR FAMINE?

I'm going fishing!

Teresa Cavaliere is on the frontlines of today’s America and reports on the curves life throws at her.