All of us are born mystics, for the capacity to experience wonder and a primal sense of connectedness with all of life is our birthright. . . . As Brother David Steindl-Rast writes, "The men and women we call mystics differ from the rest of us merely by giving these experiences the place they deserve in everyone's life. What counts is not the frequency or intensity of mystic experiences, but the influence we allow them to have on our life. By accepting our mystic moments with all they offer and demand, we become the mystics we are meant to be. After all, a mystic is not a special kind of human being, but every human being is a special kind of mystic."
— Anne Gordon, A Book of Saints