Some say the secret to journalism is lots of coffee.

I say it takes strength.

Strength to work on four hours of sleep. Strength to crawl out of bed when news breaks. Strength to watch your work be torn to pieces by a pen happy editor. And strength to work on stories with rising death tolls.

I fell in love with journalism when I was in high school. Though my affection for it has changed over the years, our relationship stands strong. We've faced significant deaths, catastrophic weather and massive bomings, each pulling us closer.

The job may not be glamorous. The hours are long. There are rarely any holidays or birthdays off. And forget about that Friday night drink with your friends.

But if you love it and you're committed to the craft, every once in a while a story comes along worth all that lost time.