You may never learn the names of any of the people you talk to in a dog park even after many many hours spent there with them and many hours of conversation. But if - knock on wood - anything should ever happen to your dog these nameless non-strangers will rally sympathize offer to help and hold your hand. I know this from experience.

I couldn't have foreseen all the good things that have followed my mother's death. The renewed energy the surprising sweetness of grief. The tenderness I feel for strangers on walkers. The deeper love I have for my siblings and friends. The desire to play the mandolin. The gift of a visitation.

Making movies is not rocket science. It's about relationships and communication and strangers coming together to see if they can get along harmoniously productively and creatively. That's a challenge. When it works it's fantastic and will lift you up. When it doesn't work it's almost just as fascinating.

But I'm acutely aware that the possibility of fraud is even more prevalent in today's world because of the Internet and cell phones and the opportunity for instant communication with strangers.

Great perils have this beauty that they bring to light the fraternity of strangers.

Religion and art spring from the same root and are close kin. Economics and art are strangers.

If you age with somebody you go through so many roles - you're lovers friends enemies colleagues strangers you're brother and sister. That's what intimacy is if you're with your soulmate.