“There is a reason we outgrow fairy tales. Let’s face it, “happily ever after” is a crock, a con, a shell game for the sucker on the street. They’re just words, pretty words, the equally empty book end to “once upon a time.” But our lives aren’t determined by some storybook star-crossed destiny. They’re not determined by what we’re told is meant to be. Our lives are determined by dumb-luck, the actions we take and the courage we summon at our moments of truth. Unlike fairy tales, real life doesn’t come with “The End” in gilded cursive on the very last page. Our stories never end. Happily ever after, for most of us, is really just the beginning. There is a million ever afters in everybody’s lives. Because, every time you think you reach the finish line, the gun goes off again.”