"My initial resistance to being jolted out of an altered state turned to incredulity when I realized I would be sleep-walking through life long after 3:00 a.m. feedings ceased. Facing this reality is much like processing grief. It comes in five stages: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and, finally, defeat. I mean, acceptance. The stages aren’t always in that order and some resurface frequently. Like bargaining. Especially bargaining. We all know one should never negotiate with terrorists, even if they are tiny."