Two things put me in the spirit to give. One is that I have come to think of everyone with whom I come into contast as a patient in the emergency room. I see a lot of gaping wounds and dazed expressions. Or, as Marianne Moore put it, "The world's an orphan's home." And this feels more true than almost anything else I know. But so many of us can be soothed by writing: think of how many times you have opened a book, read one line, and said, "Yes!" And I want to give people that feeling, too, of connection, communication.

My grace is sufficient for thee. The words soothed her soul like a healing balm.

When I really want to be soothed and reminded of why people bother to fiddle with sentences I often read poetry.

I go to nature to be soothed and healed and to have my senses put in order.