About this time, the state was going through a fiscal crisis, and there was talk of lay-offs, not that they would get to me with my seniority; but I mentioned it to Jennifer. She said, "Don't worry about it, what's the worst that could happen? We would start over again, and we've started with less than nothing before. In fact, there's a certain appeal to that." Put in that perspective, I realized that there is a freedom that comes with a devoted, committed relationship. Freedom from fear, anxiety, and the unknown.