I have a great advantage over many of my colleagues inasmuch as my students bring with them to class their own personal knowledge of national, regional, religious, ethnic, occupational, and family folklore traditions.

Polls are frequently taken to try to tease out or determine likely directions and trends, but once taken, they belong to the past, requiring that new polls be taken.

Americans have a penchant for the future and tend to disregard the past.

In the light of our culture, these are not unreasonable questions and tactics, but if once again, we try to see the lens through which we look, we can see that there is far too great an emphasis placed on the future.

Americans often have trouble enjoying the present moment.

Future orientation is combined with a notion and expectation of progress, and nothing is impossible.

Life, it seems, is nothing if not a series of initiations, transitions, and incorporations.