It came down to the final vault for Mary Lou Retton at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. A 9.95 would give her a tie for the gold medal; a perfect 10 would secure a solo victory in the all-around. Prior to Mary Lou, no American woman had ever even won a medal in Olympic competition. At 16, Retton was about to launch herself into the American consciousness forever. Sports Illustrated called it “the vault without fault.” Retton, of course, scored a perfect 10 and then went on to win four more medals.

“Mary Lou's gold was the biggest thing to happen to gymnastics in the United States," said Bob Colarossi, USA Gymnastics President. "It inspired countless young girls to dream that they could one day reach the top of the sport. There is no question that she represents the single greatest influence in the sport."

In 1993, Retton was named the “Most Popular Athlete in America,” in a national survey. To this day, visitors to the Olympic Training Center computer kiosks request information for Mary Lou more than any other female athlete. Today, Mary Lou is a married mother of four. She serves on the Board of Governors of the Children’s Miracle Network and as national co-host for the annual telethon, which has raised $1.4 billion to treat 12 million children in need. Recently, she teamed with her husband, Shannon Kelly, to produce a new children’s television show for PBS and FamilyNet, called Mary Lou’s Flip Flop Shop, that emphasizes “creative movement” – getting kids 4-7 off the couch.

She is also an author of Gateways to Happiness: 7 Ways to a More Peaceful, More Prosperous, More Satisfying Life. What follows here is an excerpt from an online chat with fans on iVillage from a few years back. Mary Lou answers questions about parenting, being happy, role models, how winning Olympic gold changed her life, and more.

Q1: Had you thought about writing a book for a long time, or was a specific event that inspired you?

MARY LOU RETTON: For many years, various people have encouraged me to write a book, but I didn't feel the time was right until now. When I won gold in the Olympics, I was only 16 years old. I hadn't experienced life and had spent most of my time inside a gym. I am now (a mother of four). Now, I can say that I've experienced many things worthy of sharing with my readers; I've overcome much adversity and many obstacles, and today, I'm still happy.

Q2: What keeps you smiling, and what motivates you to get up in the morning and enjoy what life has to offer?

MARY LOU RETTON: Well, I'm a very optimistic person -- but I do have my bad days like everyone else. Life's little stresses can be overwhelming at times. Sometimes when I'm having a bad day, and people approach me while I'm running errands and say, ''Give me that Wheaties smile!'' -- and that's the last thing I feel like doing! However, those small stresses have nothing to do with whether I am truly, fundamentally happy. Life is inevitably going to be messy at times. As bad as things may seem, I believe you can always find that silver lining. It's what we learn from these situations that shape our characters. I try to live by this motto: ''Don't major in the minors.''

Q3: Were the obstacles you overcame mainly internal struggles or external ones?

MARY LOU RETTON: Both. The first external struggle I mention in my book was my knee surgery just six weeks before the Olympics. The doctors told me there wasn't enough time and that I couldn't do it -- but I overcame this, a huge obstacle that I felt was the ultimate test from God. Another obstacle was the birth of my second daughter, McKenna. She was born a bit premature and had lung problems. It was a very traumatic time in my life. Also, when I retired from gymnastics, I was 18. I attended the University of Texas at Austin, and I so badly wanted to fit in -- but that was nearly impossible. It was a very, very difficult time. In my book, I share what I learned from those experiences with my readers.

Q4: I have been divorced for over two years; I have two teenagers and a full-time job. Do you have any tips on making spiritual renewal a priority?

MARY LOU RETTON: Faith is one of the gateways in my book, and I believe you need faith in your life to be ultimately happy. Personally, I am a Christian, and my relationship with God takes priority in my life. After that, everything else falls into place. If you're missing that in your very busy life, I suggest you try to strengthen your relationship with God. He gives me strength that I need each day.

Q5: In your book, you say that ''too many of us find ourselves in relationships and friendships with other people that are more destructive than constructive.'' What are some warning signals of destructive relationships? Can they be transformed into positive ones?

MARY LOU RETTON: Personally, I don't associate with negative people. I've encountered many of them in my lifetime, and when one negative person is in a group, she tries her hardest to bring the entire group down, too. I work hard to be a positive person, and I don't appreciate the negativity. I suggest that you communicate your feelings to such people in your life and then decide whether or not you want them in your life.

Q6: My favorite gateway was smiling and of course the belly laugh. Would you talk a little about that for our members?

MARY LOU RETTON: Laughter is extremely important; we need it to help us get through much of life's pain and stress. If there were no laughter and humor in your life, you'd be pretty miserable! Laughter was what made me fall in love with my husband. I met him during the summer after the Olympics, and as you can imagine, everybody wanted to be my friend. But Shannon, my husband, made me laugh -- and that's important to me. So make sure you get your good ''belly laugh'' each day.

Q7: Mary Lou, in your book, you emphasize the importance of role models and mentors. Could you tell us a bit about Nelson Mandela's influence in your life, and how he's helped you become an effective role model yourself?

MARY LOU RETTON: I think Nelson Mandela is the epitome of perseverance. Think of all he went through, and how he kept his positive attitude for many, many years, even while in prison. It's incredible! I admire him for his courage and for standing up for his beliefs. Being a role model is an important job, and if you're in the public eye, I believe it comes with the territory. A lot of people in my position don't feel that way, but I disagree with them. Children and young people are very impressionable, and the least we can do is to set a good example.

Q8: Don't you agree that parents are also role models and that parenting needs to be viewed as a very difficult, but rewarding, job?

MARY LOU RETTON: Absolutely! I think that's one of the problems with our young people today. Parents need to be role models for their children. If they don't learn morals and values at home, they'll learn elsewhere -- and those morals probably won't be very good ones. I challenge parents everywhere to be shining examples for their children. It is the hardest job a person will ever have -- but it's the most joyful job as well.

Q9: Mary Lou, you emphasize honesty in all relationships. But how can one know whether another person is being honest? In many relationships, honesty is often veiled.

MARY LOU RETTON: Go with your gut feeling. If you have to guess at whether someone is being honest, there is no trust in your relationship. And that means it's time to move on.

Q10: What is your ultimate goal in life? Has your fame been an asset to you or not?

MARY LOU RETTON: My ultimate goal in life is to be the best mother and wife I can be. Fame really has no bearing on that at all. Winning gold at the Olympics brought much joy to my life -- but having a family is the most important thing in my life. And I'd happily give up all five of my medals to preserve the joy and love that my family brings me every day. There's no comparison.

To read the complete chat transcript, click here.