I keep practicing my way into paying better attention to the many people, places and situations that enter my life . . . all those things I don’t think I’ve intentionally had a hand in causing. And since I no longer believe in coincidences, I’ve taken to thinking of the random, interesting and unexpected in my life as flashes of intuition, insights, and potential opportunities, landing in front of me to either take advantage of or reject. My backstory is where cats come in: M

Rainer Maria Rilke, Austrian-born poet and novelist, has become one of my favorite philosophers. His writings are peppered with elegantly-stated ideas that have been able to stand on their own for a century, as guideposts helping others to live into their own, most vital questions. My favorite Rilke quote, prominently displayed on the front of my refrigerator, is a gem I return to when I find I’m nagging myself to get it together and figure out which direction I’m supposed to