There's kind of no rhyme or reason to what is appealing to any

In the words of Katherine Waterston, we find a truth both gentle and profound: “There’s kind of no rhyme or reason to what is appealing to any given actor. It just is, or it isn’t. It’s kind of like dating. You either connect to someone or you don’t. You can’t really say why.” Though spoken of the art of acting, her words reach far beyond the stage, touching the mystery of human connection itself. What she describes is the ancient, ungovernable rhythm of attraction — whether between artist and role, lover and beloved, soul and calling. It is the recognition that intuition often moves where reason cannot follow.

Since the dawn of ages, sages and poets alike have wrestled with this mystery. The Greeks called it eros, the spark that leaps between hearts, inexplicable yet undeniable. In the East, it was said that destiny ties invisible red threads between those meant to meet, no matter the distance or the circumstance. What Waterston names as a simple truth — that “you either connect or you don’t” — the ancients called the law of resonance: the notion that certain souls, certain roles, certain experiences, hum in harmony with one’s spirit, while others fall silent. It cannot be forced, bought, or reasoned into being. It simply is.

To understand this truth, consider the story of Michelangelo, the sculptor of divine vision. When he was offered commissions, he did not choose them for wealth or fame, but for the silent whisper that stirred within him when he beheld a block of marble. To others, it was stone; to him, it was a sleeping spirit waiting to be freed. When asked why he chose one commission over another, he could not explain — “I saw the angel in the marble,” he said, “and carved until I set him free.” Thus, it was not logic but connection that guided his hand, just as Waterston describes of the actor’s craft. The heart knows before the mind understands.

In her comparison to dating, Waterston reveals the emotional core of artistry — for both love and art are acts of recognition. When an actor reads a script, they do not dissect it as a scientist might a specimen; they feel its pulse. Sometimes the connection is instant — a flicker of knowing, as if the character’s soul speaks their name. Other times, there is nothing, no spark, no resonance. And like love, such things cannot be forced. The ancients would say that to pursue without feeling is to chase a mirage — for the greatest works, like the greatest loves, are born from the meeting of two truths that see each other clearly.

This teaching carries a deeper wisdom about life itself. We live in an age that demands explanation for everything — where success, affection, and even purpose are measured and quantified. But Waterston’s insight reminds us that the most meaningful choices often defy reason. You are drawn to certain paths, people, and passions not by logic but by something older and wiser — the instinct of the soul. To ignore that instinct is to betray one’s own spirit; to follow it is to walk in alignment with one’s true nature.

Therefore, the lesson is this: trust what stirs your heart without needing to explain it. When you feel drawn to a project, a person, or a purpose, honor that call. The ancients taught that intuition is the voice of the divine within us — subtle, quiet, but unfailingly honest. Do not waste energy seeking to rationalize what your spirit already knows. For in the mysteries of art and love, connection is the compass that points toward meaning.

And so, let Waterston’s words stand as a beacon to all seekers — artists, lovers, dreamers alike. Whether on the stage or in life, listen for the resonance that makes your heart awaken. Follow that sound, even if you cannot name its source. For the greatest journeys are not mapped by reason, but by recognition — that sacred moment when one thing within you calls out to another, and both answer, “Yes, it is you.”