- Charles Grisham, Oceanside, California
I know of a place that is so beautiful it can take your breath
away. It is a place of contradictions, opposing senses, and ever-
changing consequences. As I travel its land, I know that I will be
changed in some remarkable way. Being there, my heart has no hiding
place. The majesty of its mountains humbles me; the vibrant life of
the forests sings to my senses. The gentle rain of the waterfalls
washes me; the soft embrace of the verdant valleys nurtures me. All
at once I am alone in the still, chilled desert night and in the
heaving masses of the choked city. I can face dangerous creatures
and be welcomed to the hearth of a stranger. I can swim with the
sharks and stand on a hill at dusk among the swooping nighthawks. I
can walk between the pungent fish stalls in a dusty open-air market
and breathe the delicate scent of the frangipani carried on the
eastern breeze. I can inhale the history of the ancient ones who
lived before and fear their secret rituals. I can blaze untraveled
paths with trepidation and swim in the warm acceptance of the
ocean. In this land, I am master of my own domain and servant to
its bidding. It demands that I care for it and protect it, for
without it I cannot live. It is my lifeblood, my sustenance, my
learning, my adventure, my mother, my earth. She is all we have,
and as long as I live here, I will gladly reap the richness of her
beauty and be grateful for her abundant gifts and never become
complacent. There is no place like
Earth. -
Archie Tew,
Santa Fe, New Mexico
A window seat. Whether I'm traveling for
business or for pleasure, the air blowing full throttle through the
spinnable nozzle above my head lets me know that I'm headed
someplace. Unlike many business travelers, who seem to not notice
whether they're in midflight or accelerating through takeoff, I
always have my face glued to the window. … I know I'm traveling. As
the landscape fades away, I love the unique perspective that
altitude gives me. I can see my home in relation to the office and
the
golf course. … I notice that my home, office, and golf course
form a nearly perfect triangle. The window seat is the most
wonderful seat on an airplane. … I feel like the captain, and as it
was when I was a kid, I dream that I can fly! - Christopher
Marlowe,
Coral Gables, Florida
The golf course. Where else can you achieve
success (a well-struck three iron …) and fail-ure (… that goes out
of bounds) at the same time? Where else can you simultaneously act
like a child (sinking a long putt …) and a tyrant (… for a double
bogey)? Where else can you both enjoy (sunny, balmy weather) and
hate (bee stings) nature? Where else can you have so much fun with
your kids and be like them for a short while? Where else can you
teach them the lessons your father taught you, and have them
listen?