X, a brilliant, well-published, but relatively obscure writer, lived in the same foreign city as Y, a magnificent painter I have always admired. They were friends.

When X passed away about ten years ago, he visited me in my bedroom while I was leafing through a book of Y's paintings. He said that he could help me with my painting, since I admired Y so much.

More years passed, and even Y passed away. I thought no more of X's visit.

Some time after, I noticed a major change in my painting style and technique. It happened without my taking additional lessons and without any conscious decisions on my part. Today I feel that a different person painted my early works, and that a different person is painting my current ones.

I remembered X, and I thanked him for whatever help he extended me, and I actually believe that he did.

Attune to your spirit guides. They are usually the most unlikely: some will be relatives, some, friends, and even some, complete strangers. They gravitate toward living persons whose problems in life are similar to the ones they had, and their objective is to increase those persons' knowledge and wisdom in addressing those problems.

We are all interconnected and interrelated. And we truly stand on the shoulders of our ancestors.