There are many paths to illumination, and all bring uniqueness to their journeys. It is super cool, though, when the road opens from a totally unexpected direction. It kind of leaves you scratching your head at the magic of life.

A few years ago, as I approached my sixtieth birthday, I started doing crossword puzzles on a regular basis to help keep my mind sharp. Almost immediately, I noticed something strange. I would read or hear a word and then find that very word as a clue or answer on a subsequent crossword puzzle, usually one I worked on minutes afterward. For example, I saw a documentary on Muhammad Ali, and two puzzles later I saw this clue: “A boxer from Louisville, KY.” I read a story about bees, then “Busy as a _____” appears soon thereafter in a puzzle.