Instead of wondering when your next vacation is, maybe you should set up a life you don’t need to escape from.
~ Seth Godin

One of my fondest memories of growing up is sitting on the glider with my siblings and cousins on my grandmother’s front porch. I can still feel the cool breeze on my skin and hear the soothing sounds of a gentle spring rain as we rocked back and forth, talking, playing hangman and laughing.

Another memory is of my dad gathering the family in the living room and watching slide shows and 8mm movies from recent vacations. It was great fun and we looked forward to it, talking eagerly, laughing and anticipating more.

No cell phones, no Internet, no Twitter and no Facebook. I remember when people got together, were present in the moment and conversed and laughed about what was going on in their lives, instead of being aloof and distracted by their electronic gadgets.

Such intimate communication in community counts. I’m learning to do a better job of regularly escaping from the virtual and digital world for the nourishing real world of friends and family, and I encourage you to join me. I think I’ll start by not checking my email first thing each morning and not past 6 p.m., either. Maybe I will unplug completely on weekends. The idea is to take a little vacation every day and continue building a satisfying life from which I don’t want to escape. Such is the idea behind Judith Fertig’s article, “Healthy Escapes: Unplugged Getaways Rebalance Our Lives.”

We also pay tribute to valued dads and other father figures in our lives. Our special focus on men’s wellness ranges from maintaining hormone health to the benefits of developing a deeper purpose for life, as shared by Dave Amelio on his journey of self-discovery with the ManKind Project.

In a tribute to Father’s Day, I acknowledge the life lessons my dad has bestowed upon me. At 83 years old, he continues to be a model of persistence and responsibility in caring for my step-mom and continuing for the last several decades as the active recording secretary for the local Lions Club. Happy Father’s Day, Dad.

May this issue supply healthy ideas ripe for sharing with your fathers, grandfathers, husbands, brothers, sons and other male and female friends alike.

As always, remember to feel good, live simply, laugh more.

Dave Korba, Publisher