There is too little silence in the world and too little silence in people to connect with the Reality of things. Words and language are necessary but keep us external to deeper realities and very seldom are capable of expressing those deeper realities. People are fearful of that silence but to really know who you are you should be enriched by that silence and rooted in it even when you are speaking. All the talk, all the chatter obscures being part of the vastness of the universe and the purity of God, which is the birthright in common origin of us and of everything.

The subtle enters through the things in us that are like the subtle, one of them being quiet, one of them being calm. Thus, it is essential to cultivate those aspects and atmospheres, becoming like a clear, still lake that can truly reflect reality and that welcomes you into its depths.

from Some Remarks on Subtlety

90% of what you are up against is worrying about what you are up against. Having a plan helps you not feel knocked about by life.