In all actuality my first dearest wish was to be an astronaut. And of course this was never to be, due to the imperfection of my eyesight. Yet in this instance this obvious physical flaw was a blessing as failure's bitter fruit is best swallowed quickly. Certain flaws in my nature make such a goal so impossibly unlikely as to be unobtainable in any event.
Far better put off by physical inability than by weakness of character. And once disappointment has left its sharp pangs, success comes easily in other venues. It is only after great failure that one achieves great success, and then only from great success does one truly learn fear.
Or perhaps this paraphrase of Tricia McMillan says it best, "I've learned there are time when one must never go back, and times when you must always go back. I have not learned to tell the difference between such times."