There are people in life who make your existence richer, deeper, meaningful and beautiful. In my life, they often come from the most unexpected directions.

In Paris, it was the owner of a hair salon, of all places, I walked into one day on my way to a TV shoot, whose out-of-the-blue friendship, presence, wisdom and guidance instantly began to have a profoundly transformative role in my path.

Here in Oregon, it’s been my wonderful doctor, Bre, whose constant presence, intelligence, wisdom, depth of care and understanding continue keeping me happy, healthy and strong. Frank, the service manager at my Subaru dealership, who always seems to roll out the red carpet for me, every time I interact with him. Systematically going out of his way to make my visits to them a delight, keeping my Crosstrek vital, responsive and full of torque, putting me in courtesy vehicles when needed, even sticking post-it notes on the dashboard to make sure I locate the seat warmers and GPS easily. My officer friend Ernie, who always responds in the blink of an eye, anytime my safety is in question, surrounding me with a sense of presence, protection and trust that is invaluable. And my coach, Paul, whose wisdom, understanding, philosophy and insights are so profound, each training day is transformational to both the body and soul.

You couldn’t invent characters of that magnificence. And I am so grateful for the gift of their presence in my existence…