(Title theme: "Perthshire Majesty" by Samuel Hazo http://youtu.be/cUQyn1e_aNA)

You know, in the past, I’ve caught myself staring up at the sky, wondering if there was another world out there, somewhere beyond the stars. I would always ask myself, “What would life be like on another planet? Would it be better? Worse?” I never thought I would live to see the day when those questions are answered. And… well… I guess I didn't.

I've been to hell and back—more than once—and it's changed the way I view the world. I still look up, but I no longer see countless other worlds to explore, where life might be better, or might be worse; I look up, and see myself staring right back. I see someone else who's been through the same ordeal. Someone else who's been to hell and back. Someone else who looks up with different eyes than they did before.

But above all, I will remember this one simple fact, to the end of my days:

The grass isn’t always greener on the other side.