Getting there was an adventure. — Sometime in the late ’40s, when I was maybe four years old, my folks got a letter from some friends, the Drains, who were teachers and spent their summer camping on Hat Creek, a snow-fed stream near Mount Lassen, California, about 60 miles from our house as the crow flies. …

The key to successful living — I have a friend who I will call Zeke. Every time I see Zeke, he has a smile on his face and seems like he doesn’t have a care in the world. He’s always laughing and joking. He’s a pleasure to be around. I jokingly told my wife that maybe…

Trekking in Oze National Park — “I need you to help me with a project,” my friend Gary said. Gary and I worked in the USAF Hospital, Tachikawa Air Force Base, Japan in the late sixties. Gary’s project? …

A philosophy for successful living — In the late seventies (when I was in my early thirties), I started watching a Christian television program titled “The Hour of Power.” I became enamored with Dr. Robert H. Schuller and his philosophy of Possibility Thinking. …

Miscut orders lead to an unexpected adventure — In early 1967, I arrived at my first post as a young airman third-class (not even second-class). I was fresh out of medical admin training. My orders read: Assigned to USAF Hospital, Fuchu Air Station, Japan. …

How I practice the Presence of God — “The most holy and necessary practice in our spiritual life is the presence of God. That means finding constant pleasure in His divine company, speaking humbly and lovingly with him in all seasons, at every moment, without limiting the conversation in any way.” ~ Brother Lawrence. Do you practice the…

Well, three, actually. — My dad taught me many lessons, but one stands out. When I was around 5 years old, my dad took me “hunting” with him in the woods behind our house. He had a small 0.22 …

The transportation of the future? — I was a bike rider decades before it became a thing. I got a black 3-speed Schwinn for Christmas when I was 10 years old. I immediately took it out and began teaching myself to ride. I’d haul it up the small hill near our house, hop on, and do…

The lesson my mother taught me. — Jill Ebstein’s book At My Pace: Lessons from Our Mothers inspired me to think about one important lesson my mother taught me. I had just completed sixth grade and was doing poorly in school. I was not good at sports and showed no interest in academics. I liked my teachers…