Dabrowski's theory spoke to me at a very deep level of my being. It has been my guide to self-examination, allowing me to appreciate my intensity and to see the challenges in my life as opportunities for personal growth. For the last three decades, I have shared my passion for the theory with anyone who would listen. This article is about my journey with the theory, how it began and where it led. Dabrowski's theory provides a roadmap to guide exploration of the mystifying inner life of the gifted. This lens takes the study of giftedness out of the classroom into the subterranean caverns of the Self--the relentless search for meaning, for self-awareness, for compassion, for all that one can become as a human being.