Where to Start?

I am amazed by the tangle of advice and guidance that is offered on the web. One of my favorite sites is by Mike Grasso which I stumbled upon when I was on bedrest with my second pregnancy. He lists the following on his site about considering beginning the path to become a doctor:

Positive reasons to consider

Above all else, this is what you really want. The issue of desire is probably more important than the question of how old you are.
You have the ability, energy, and courage to go for it.
You are willing to sacrifice what it will take to achieve it.
You are willing to walk away from other goals in your life in order to achieve this one. From this point on, becoming a physician will likely need to be the main focus in your life.
You have a plan to make sure your children or other essential obligations will be attended to while you are in school. Can you release yourself from existing obligations, or otherwise be faithful to them?

Negative reasons to avoid

You are worried about what your family or friends will think of your desire to go back to school. This is a decision that only you will have to live with (and your spouse, if you're married), so don't let others make it for you.
You feel you are too old or have been out of school too long. Don't ever let age be the determining factor for anything you want to do in life.
You feel you are smarter than most doctors or have unique insights that would make you a better physician. Become a doctor for the right reasons, remembering that medicine is a calling, not a crusade.

I really like being able to think about both sides of this coin, but there is a point where you have to say "this is what I am going to do and I am going for it!" I get the same feeling from this decision that I did the first time I jumped off the high diving board at the pool - nervousness, excitement, awe of others who have gone ahead and knowing that it will be a cool experience! Ahh, the childlike innocence of flinging yourself headlong into uncertain times.