I’ve been privileged to travel all my life. From my birthplace on a US Army base in Japan to the American Midwest, East Coast, West Coast and parts of Europe, I've lived and learned in diverse locations. I suspect that's fueled my lifelong fascination with the impact of geography and history on literature and life. Once you've traveled to a place or even better, lived in it, there's a connection that tugs at you every time it's mentioned. You develop an interest and curiosity about the lives of people who choose to live there. What makes those inhabitants' lives virtually the same as yours in many ways, yet very different in others? How do we relate and what is it we all want? The wonder never releases you.

 

The mere mention of a location brings back sensations, experiences and lots of questions. For me they include:

Eta Jima, Japan; Tales of my birth, delivered in a MASH hospital before the doctors could arrive.

Kalamazoo, Michigan; That revelation in first grade when words suddenly made sense, unlocking a universe of understanding.

Jerez, Spain; 2000 year old Etruscan ruins putting our brief US history into perspective.

Wotton-under-Edge; The epitome of a Cotswold village with a most descriptive moniker full of welcoming people and an intriguing history.

Temecula, California; A different kind of beauty, an appreciation for water, an acquaintance with earthquakes.

South Carolina; A small state with a big impact: Home to Chadwick Boseman, country singer Josh Turner, author James Dickey, and R&B artist Maurice Williams. 

England; Literary roots for Sherlock Holmes, Harry Potter, C.S. Lewis, Terry Pratchett, Jane Austin, and Magna Carta.

St.Jean Pied-de-Port; Basque country, gateway to the Camino De Santiago; source of research for Foster's Quest and Vicar Shrimpton's Ghost

And so many more...

Every place I've lived or visited contributes to who I am and what I love to write about. Each place I've read about adds to my understanding of the richness of God's creation and how symbiotic people and environment, both physical and mental, are. It's mind-boggling, inspiring, and invigorating.

 

It is indeed a  wonderful world.

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