Watching the Academy Awards I and everyone else got to see Sigourney Weaver, looking as graceful and determined as ever. I actually met her years ago and how could I forget? I was introduced by a mutual friend. I had no idea then who she was. I guess my friend assumed everyone knew. So we knocked on her door on the way to another apartment and were invited in for tea. She was fun and interesting and in the course of things I got her number, and invited her to dinner. She was flying on the Cannes the next morning, but she accepted and we went out and had a fairly good time at a local Japanese place. Just swapping stories, having fun. At least I was having fun. But when we left and were walking down the street, I remember how fast she walked. We practically race-walked down Columbus Avenue.  What was that about?

I found out a couple of days later. At least I think I did. I went to see her new movie and woke up to the fact that she was a movie star, recognized all over.  And in that realization, of course, everything changed. I called her again, but now I was tongue tied. And I wasn't sure why I was calling. Because I liked her? Or because she was a star? I am writing this story not because I know anything about her at all now, but because she is still a star.

What does this mean? I'm not sure. I promised myself I would write tonight, sat down, and there she was... And I've been working with a feature for the May issue about a paraplegic Native American horse trainer. A wonderful piece of writing about a writer who comes to love this broken man who breaks horses. And the reason she comes to love him is that she feels that he really sees her  -- just as he sees the horses he trains and the local people who come to his sweat lodges.

There is an art and a science to being seen. One can work at becoming a celebrity. And with grit and determination and talent and great looks and an enormous amount of luck, a few actually rise to a pinnacle of being recognized by everyone. There is obviously a lot of value in that.

But there is also enormous value also in the ability to see people. That extreme form of that ability may come from a stroke of seriously bad luck, like the car accident that crippled the horse trainer. Or a round of cancer. But I suspect it can also come from desire and practice. When we actually take the time to practice all the things we know -- and the stuff on our new practice pages -- I suspect each of us is a lot more likely to become that sort of "celebrity." And I suspect that, ultimately, it is a lot more satisfying than playing the part in a movie.