Commentary

Do you ever feel entrapped by urban sprawl? Do you long for the peace and tranquility of a panoramic scene of natural beauty, like a glacier-fed lake at the foot of snow-covered mountains with cool crisp air filling your lungs—without the rumble, roar, and clang of traffic noises? Would fresh trout on the banks of a flowing stream make a delicious supper as a...

In the course of human affairs, we run across relationships that pique our interest and baffle our minds. Such was the often-touchy relationship between two particular brothers, and the lasting impression of one incident involving them has stayed with me from my youth.

There were five kids in my blended family, growing up during the 1950s, and my stepfather was a genius at keeping all of us busy. As kids, we were allowed to play, but first, there was a myriad of chores and maintenance projects that kept us busy doing productive things. The usual chores, like regularly mowing the lawn, trimming hedges, and raking leaves, over...

For years, my dad has run—not jogged—down an unpaved road located just a few miles from our home. “The Old Dirt Road,” as we called it, was just one of the many farm roads that decorate the American South. This three-mile, undeveloped byway served my father well for his exercise of choice after a hard day’s work. It also served me, by giving me a chance to learn...