Serve by Design

I grew up in a small rural town culture where raccoons were hunted for sport. My dad and our next door neighbor, Jim, had highly trained dogs that were bred to detect the scent and movements of raccoons. The guys and their hounds would hunt their prey in the evening hours throughout river bottoms, fields and creeks, and heavily wooded areas around Vandalia. As an adolescent, I was fascinated by the whole matter and wanted to accompany the hunters each time I could. But what I loved even more was the gathering the next morning at the local eatery, affectionately known as “Road Kill.” Photo Credit: Alan Alquist unsplash.com I relished hearing the morning recap of the night's events in that setting! The laughter was captivating along with the good-natured bantering. I leaned forward to take in every detail and description of the dogs competing to pick up the scent and follow the trail as their owners trudged over “hill and dale” to keep up with them!   The incredible stories shar...

During my college days, I took a class in Philosophy that was required in a liberal arts education curriculum. I liked it so much that I decided to take two more! I think that part of my motivation was in the fact that my professor was a family friend. He and his wife would later host our outdoor wedding reception at their house in Charleston. I can distinctively remember the antics that Dr. Taylor would perform during his classroom instructions. On one occasion, he took a simple chalkboard eraser and spent the whole hour making his point! (And yes, I date myself in writing "chalk!" This was many years before dry erase marker boards would become popular!) Eraser and Chalk Image: Public Domain The eraser was held before us for a few seconds while the professor stood with an impish grin at his lectern. Then, with a dramatic movement, he held it behind him to simulate how it had disappeared from the students' view. Dr. Taylor followed up with these questions, "Is the er...