James,

There is a decorative china piece downstairs, a Franz decorative piece with a phoenix on it. I keep it because of the symbolism. We are always in transition in one way or another. The trick, I think, is to recognize it and take advantage of it. I think we get in trouble when we want all of life to be euphoric and free of pain. That would be awful indeed. Why have euphoria when there is nothing by which to measure it? There are “cameos” of magnificence in all our lives, and I think we miss so many of them. Thanks for your comments.