So, I’m driving. Not like, as I type this, but I’m in Indianapolis, spending the night before finally arriving in Detroit by way of Los Angeles. This car, prior to my ownership, had never left the state of California. Well, that’s my uneducated assumption. The original owner lived in Santa Barbara, and the car came with full records: locally purchased, meticulously maintained, and driven 11,500 miles over the owner’s 20-year tenure. I’ll hit 17,000 miles when I arrive in Detroit, with over...

Life takes shape in ways that are often different from how I plan. It’s challenging, especially because I spend a lot of mental energy developing those plans, working toward them, only to experience outcomes I wasn’t expecting, or things not materializing at all. I make plans because I want to make progress in my life. At the same time, I have to learn to cope with change and with the world moving in ways I can’t expect or anticipate. Both things seem necessary and true. Like making my bed....

Last month I got to spend a little time in Northern Michigan with my family for a quick vacation. It was wonderful to spend time with everyone, go fishing, and even squeeze in a round of golf. At the end of the trip, I visited with my dear friend Bethany, who lives near where we were staying. She brought me to the dunes, which was my favorite part of the trip. The feeling of sand between bare feet in a soft yet mountainous landscape resonates with me. We took a dip in the lake, which was an...