For Rilke, life is a gift to be celebrated anew every day. To recognize all the vastness and possibilities of our existence, we need only to walk through life with a touch more awareness and alertness. Everything we hope for and everything we fear is part of life. The challenge lies in acknowledging this presence of everything in life, rather than allowing ourselves to be distracted by it. Our task is to view life as a work of art that we can actively shape and change with every breath, every action, and every decision as our own life. For life is change. And we are given the opportunity to accept this unchangeable fact without resigning ourselves, thereby contributing creatively to our own transformation. Here are quotes from Rilke's extensive correspondence with a variety of correspondents.