Over 80 years ago a young lad was introduced by his father to what was to become a major thoroughfare destined to be forever his pathway through life. Siblings and friends added their expertise in due time topped off by teachers, professors and supervisors. Sandy Truett, and guided by a young husband, expressed it this way, “Born a child in a land of roads, I learned to walk trails, To love them, to trust them as my own, To discover, share, and to lose, but never to possess.” Consequently, an axiom I assumed was “Trails That Lead Somewhere”, whether it be of personal gratification, professional attainment, or religious fulfillment.
Throughout life I have followed my trails, through trials and tribulations, joys and heartaches, failures and successes and in so doing I have tried to impress a similar attitude within my children and my graduate students, who basically became the same as my children.
My trails took me across several continents into many countries, including three years in East Africa. Those three years with my family were the most enjoyable from a filial standpoint as well as the most rewarding from a professional viewpoint. Living almost 75% of my time in the bush certainly was the epitome of following trails that lead somewhere, not only in the study of the wildlife species with Dr. Field, my co-worker from Wales but learning about the habitat as well with the assistance of my African technician, Sylvester Masheti, and Svend Qvortrup, a Danish co-worker. My one great loss was when I had to say farewell to Kenya, following a sky trail, from people and the land I had learned to love.
Trails that lead from somewhere may have started in the cow pens on a 72-acre farm in south Texas brush country in the arms of a Mom and Dad who knew how to love and take care of 14 children in only a one-room shack, were followed by traveling the world over, seeing the portals of four higher universities, working with five major organizations, serving as President of two prominent professional societies and being adorned with numerous awards, civic and professional, may find the trails ending in the Hill Country of Texas.
