It takes years. It takes seconds. Both are true. We can only find what our surroundings make visible. Some things only appear by contrast — and we may never encounter the other side. To search harder is often to see less. The beginner finds what the expert walks past. Most of what matters is found in silence. Grief is the most transfigurative energy we have. Words land in the mind first. The body receives them later. Not every question needs an answer. Some need only to be carried. The search does not end when you find something. It ends when something finds you.