I said, "I just finished reading a good summation of the quagmire we appear to be in." She said, "This has been a rough time with insurgents demanding peace shouting to be heard." I asked, "With 'Failure is not an option' as an option can any of us survive the fall of our personal empires?" She answered, "Not without casualties to crystallized emotions and creating powerful memories." I asked another question, "Can sober persons holding pre-eminent positions of power hold the center?" She replied, "A similar dilemma can be found in the hearts of those who stand outside in the corridors of hope."