Last week, this week, every week.

Last week, extremists laid siege to our Capitol. Last week, the weather in Connecticut was pretty normal, although I think we're still in a drought. It hasn't snowed or rained much. I do worry that our climate patterns are changing.

Last week, our president -- spurred on by his supporters including his lawyer, his son and certain elected officials of our government -- incited insurrection. Last week, LinkedIn encouraged me to congratulate six connections on their posts or promotions or work anniversaries, and 19 people viewed my post.

Last week, my client navigated a fiscal year budget question to help negotiate a contract that locked in my work for calendar 2021. I made two dozen delicious carrot muffins. Last week, the death toll for Covid deaths in the US topped 318,000, roughly 924 people committed suicide, more than one in five households were food insecure, I learned that a friend has a terminal disease and roughly 73,000 babies were born.

Last week, I finally caught up with one old friend on Zoom -- it took me too long to get t it, but I'm so happy I did and it makes me realize I have a few more of those calls ahead of me. Because last week is like this week or next week: We never know what will happen outside of our realm, and we don't always have control of what happens inside our realm. The extreme commingles with the ordinary as well as with the sublime. Always. Tragedy and grace are intermingled with shock and joy.

Make your path in this world -- no matter where you are right now -- and know that the connections that are most meaningful to you are those made by your own direct intervention -- the things you intentionally decide to do. Life will always happen around you. At the end of the day, what will really matter is those places where you decide to stop, step in and take part.

So, do that. Remember "STOP": Stop. Take a breath. Observe. Proceed.

Participate in your life intentionally.