During my life, I’ve hung around with some very different types of people. For some, I considered it an honor and privilege to have known them. For others, well, let’s just say it was more difficult. But in every instance, I have been taught something about life. Some of the men I’ve known include pimps, drug dealers, convicted felons, and murderers (who I was forced to disarm). There have been ornery parachute jumpmasters, toughened Ranger sergeants and Navy SEALs, a profess

Years ago, I had the pleasure of traveling through Europe. One early morning, I was a passenger on a rapidly moving train speeding between Florence, Italy and Rome. It was the start of a bright sunny day. Puffy clouds hung in front of the blue sky as fog lifted from the horizon. Oh, I was so thrilled to be experiencing this priceless moment! On many European trains back then, passengers had the pleasure of sitting in small, intimate compartments that accommodated only six peo