Ever meet a person who seems perpetually positive regardless of how episodic the events of her life? I know I've met and heard from many. Single moms with disabled children, or battling a debilitating disease while undergoing a custody case, or managing to provide piano lessons for the kids when the company has just announced 300 job cuts - these are women who appear to jump through hoops to get through a normal day, but they still have energy left.

I'll never forget one woman who described the circumstances of her partner's disappearance, and how she dealt with a brain tumor while trying to establish paternity, and juggle a job, raise her daughter and attend law school. I was speechless. Before I could even murmur, "How ..." she cut in with (probably her only negative statement ever), "What really depressed me was that I'll probably graduate law school two years later than I hoped."

Is that all? I asked myself. I didn't know whether to say, "Hello, your life is hell," or feel guilt about all the drama in which I indulged when I became a mom (which didn't even warrant the same ratings.)