I think all those people I did stories about measured their own success by the joy their work was giving them.

It does no harm just once in a while to acknowledge that the whole country isn't in flames, that there are people in the country besides politicians, entertainers, and criminals.

I recognize that I had a good deal of good luck in my life. I came along at a time when it was pretty easy to get a job in journalism. I went to work at CBS News when I was about 22, and within a year or so was reporting on the air.

I wasn't a very discriminating reader. I read just about everything that came along.

A true Southerner will never say in 2-3 words what can better be said in 10-12.

I did stories about unexpected encounters, back roads, small towns and ordinary folk, sometimes doing something a little extraordinary.

That was the overwhelming thing to me, the joy of carrying my portable typewriter to an event and trying to describe it.