A couple of years ago, I began mowing lawns and doing small landscaping jobs to earn some extra spending money. It was a modest investment with a tantalizing potential. In our small town, the only job options seemed to be fast food joints, the pizza place, the convenience mart, or the grocery store. None of those options appealed to me. I craved freedom in my daily life and the joy of being outdoors when the weather was p...

It was just another typical late spring weekend, and I had been aware for about a week that my dad was organizing a cookout and small celebration for family friends, relatives, and some of my close friends. The evening would also include poker and drinking, a routine activity for my dad since my parents’ divorce over a year ago. By mid-afternoon, the majority of the guests had arrived, and the food was being served. Adult...