Cold day Clint and Dickie are stomping through the woods in their worn, dirty coats. Each has a 30/30 over their shoulder and a full olive military pack.  It’s deer season and the boys are both 12 which means they can hunt on their own. They walk for miles to the best...

We strive towards clarity. We cannot exist without energy. We are lost without a sense of purpose and value. And, hopefully, we are aligned with a higher sense of morality. This common human dynamic is the basis for most forms of spirituality. What separates us is how...

He was shot and killed immediately. Six months after leaving basic training, a bullet catches him in the head at la Drang. In two weeks he would turn 20. His young mother’s gloved hands grip the folded flag as the words,“honorable and faithful service.” are said for...

Amber My mother, aunt Cynthia, Amber and I did a lot together. We drove all over the city of Columbus exploring different stores and sampling small tastes of different foods. One of our favorite places was Bicentennial Park. It was in the heart of downtown Columbus....

Slipping into a well-fitting suit jacket like is being in love. Its like there’s confidence woven into the fabric. Once the jacket is on, a quick tug of the lapels and a man is ready to conquer the world – or at least the board meeting. It’s why men spend a lot of...

We all perceive joy and happiness differently, but pain is the great, beautiful, connector and our world would be lost without it. Pain is a part of daily life. It varies from mild, dropped-doughnut-disappointment, to the tragic, unsuspected loss of someone you love....

I’m sitting there, squirming in my seat. My emotions flash from sadness to embarrassment to hopefulness as the song lyrics slice at my jaded, 47-year-old psyche. At Creative Mornings, a monthly event for the creative community, there are about dozen diverse young...

“What’s up New Hampshire!?” That was how they greeted me. It made me want to pour gasoline on them in their sleep, light a match and toast marshmallows. It was a joke, but couldn’t they see I was terrified. If I got one more “New Hampshire,” I would lose my track...

How can a man live almost half a century and not know who he is? I don’t mean subtle personality nuances. I’m talking about core beliefs and feelings that are as plain to others as the ever-expanding nose on his face. If you didn’t know, a man’s nose and ears continue...

That same face that used to light up when she saw you now launches poison-dipped daggers at you for reasons you can’t understand. Where did your baby girl go? Where is Muffin Cakes? Pumpkin? What the hell happened to your Poo Bear? She grew up. She’s 15 and she’s...