Great read for the beginning of a new year. Thank you. Humans have the capacity to become deep and wise. This essay is empirical evidence in support of that assertion! It seems, though, that something has to break for this transition to take place. I lost a friend to cancer when he was in the prime of life. It sent me into a spiral of surreal disorienting despair, and shattered the superficial model of life that I had been unconsciously following. It was the start of a different and deeper way of being for me. Reading this profound and thoughtful essay re-activated my awareness of this sensibility. Thanks for laying open the truth of your life. I hope that you have a good number of good days ahead of you. (To the extent that any growth or positive change happened, I would of course give it all back in an instant for my friend still to be with us.)