If you’re new here, these five essays are a good place to begin. They explore books, learning a demanding sport, time outdoors, and the work of reaching another person.
Books
A Lifetime Love Affair with Books
My father’s book-buying bargain, the writers who stretched my thinking, and the books that helped me feel closer to my mother.
Photo: Geoffrey Barker, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Grappling
Grappling with Fear: Starting Jiu-Jitsu at 48
A smaller purple belt named Jake gave me a humbling introduction to jiu-jitsu. Becoming a beginner again was part of the attraction.
Golf
Playing and Staying at Pine Valley
A generous welcome, a lighted putting green, and a six-iron recommendation I should have taken. A visit to a remarkable golf course.
Fly Fishing & Photography
Fishing, Photography, and the Leica Q
Fishing brought me to places I wanted to photograph. Learning the camera helped; learning when to stop thinking about it mattered, too.
Persuasion
What Losing My First Trial Taught Me About Persuasion
My first trial showed me the distance between constructing an argument and reaching another person. A reflection on conviction, common ground and listening.