perspective

Making A Case For Travelers

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It was August, 1974. I was standing on a bluff. Behind me was Accra, capital city of Ghana, one of sixteen countries forming Africa’s 4,000-mile western edge. Below and stretching outward to the horizon was the Atlantic Ocean.

Except the water wasn’t the expected blue. Instead, it was light brown. Not until about a mile out did the brown end and the blue begin.

Suddenly, logic was giving me mixed signals. As a tourist, my thinking was that surely the ugly, disgusting, and repulsive brown wasn’t what I thought it could be. As a traveler, I was hoping that wasn’t … Read the rest “Making A Case For Travelers”

On The Rocks

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It had been another day of driving on western roads, the kind where what looked so close up ahead was actually much farther away.

I finally quit at 5 o’clock not because I was ready to call it a day but rather because the distance to the next town was too great. Even then, it wasn’t much more than one of those “wide place in the road” communities with a sign that says: Welcome! We are glad to see you! and another sign that says: Come back again!

There was one motel. A bell on the counter summoned an elderly … Read the rest “On The Rocks”

An Unprecedented Happening

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Yes, what I am about to describe to you has never happened before.

I am writing this at 3 A.M. on Wednesday. My latest column about timing was posted early yesterday and by late afternoon I had already received a note from a reader in Arizona who told me how much she enjoyed reading the column. 

Fast forward to a few minutes ago deep in the middle of the night when my sub-conscience confirmed that yes, it was a good column except I hadn’t gone far enough. That is, as soon as one recognizes that the time is right, it’s … Read the rest “An Unprecedented Happening”