DISCOVERY

I love finding things.

Secrets. Hidden gems. Forgotten facts. It's the little boy in me that has never left. Over the many years of my life, I've found many different kinds of things and each one was a thrill when found and a treasure in my memory ever since.

When I went fishing with my dad and brother, seeing the thin pole bend and jiggle was an amazing rush - the mystery of what was on the other end of the line, hidden in the dark ocean below. During early childhood, when just walking home from school was a daily adventure, I vividly remember finding a $10 bill in the tall weeds on the side of the road; I must have spent another half hour tromping through the roadside underbrush, looking for more!

When I was no older than the youngest version of Opie Taylor, playing with my toy truck on an enormous dirt pile that had been created by a bulldozer digging a house foundation, I started unearthing broken chunks of old, blue and white dishes and then ... the big find (for a 6-year-old): a clay pipe. I just knew it was from way long ago - maybe older than my grandfather! (I was right.) I still have that childhood treasure, over 60 years later.

Today I see a disappointingly old man in the mirror, but there is still a young discoverer inside, yearning for another find, another amazing moment. I've written a book, Promising Cures, that's full of treasures - some historical artifacts and some historical facts - all found by the little kid who just loves to find great stuff. For me, finding a morsel of forgotten history is just as exciting and rewarding as a gold nugget. Digging for treasure deep in a library or in the ground is equally exciting for me.

This blog, and my book, are focused on the fascinating things I have found and may yet still find, because even though the old man in the mirror is slowing down, the young treasure hunter just can't wait for the next adventure. I hope you'll enjoy the thrill of the discovery and share in the wonder about the next treasure I share!