Life changes fast.

Life changes in the instant.

You sit down to dinner and life as you know it ends.

— Joan Didion

It’s a scary world out there, especially for those of us in the throes of midlife, standing at the edge of the cliff of what has been and contemplating reaching out and jumping toward what can be.

The more intense our yearning is to make a mark with our lives, the braver we need to be. For many, the fear of suffering a huge pay cut scares them from turning dreams into reality. That’s why Marianne Abdoo’s story speaks volumes about the gift that comes when we dare to risk. Marianne had suffered great loss in the sudden death of her soul mate and husband, Greg. But she was passionate about making a difference with her life. Here, she shows us how.

Marianne Abdoo, 56, Southfield, Michigan

Act I: Librarian, married to her soul mate, Greg Abdoo.

Act II: Librarian, single mom of two children adopted from Siberia: daughter Anastasia, 9, and son, Kuzma, 6.

Life before the Leap

In 2002, Marianne had just turned fifty and was an accomplished librarian, and single, when she reconnected with a