Some of the most luminous additions to our life's tapestry come from people whose names we will never know. These brief, accidental collisions with strangers tie our frayed edges together right when we feel ourselves unraveling. These unplanned interactions, beautiful proof that human beings are fundamentally wired to repair the world around them, one small gesture at a time.

There's a stillness in the air this morning. The dogs curl at my feet as I finish my first cup of coffee, scrolling through the first set of pictures on Facebook from last night's pre-Fourth fireworks from friends across the country. My cousin Bert usually posts a quip to wake us from our complicity. This morning's prompt, from the 1913 reunion of Civil War veterans in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, was captured by a stone wall on Cemetery Ridge at the battlefield known as "Pickett's Charge."

This morning's subject: finding your life's purpose in 5 easy steps, with Adam Leipzig. I've been trying to figure out that little puzzle for 72 years, so this should be good.