There’s a certain sense of familiarity that comes with covering the same ground again and again.  You learn how to read the terrain – how to navigate by familiar stars, even when you can’t see them. 

It’s comfortable, even though it can be excruciatingly difficult.

But those of us who’ve learned to step off the path for a bit, to rest a while on softer ground, to feel comfortable for a moment under the light of unfamiliar stars,

we’ve learned a few things…