The mauve cap or maroon derby may make him easy to spot at meets, but Hugh Teel, Waterford High School’s head fencing coach, stands out for far more as he teaches fencers not only to win on the strip but in life.

Life is full of opportunities to find the stories cemented within the layers. Sometimes we just need to go off the well-worn path to discover them one by one as a new year begins.

With Matt Haig’s The Midnight Library coming through CarPlay and the cruise control set to 60, I had settled into my little zone on Route 30 in Indiana, scanning the environment on occasion yet also fully ensconced in my latest read. But then reality hit, and my own life flashed before my eyes.

As we rearranged the furniture to accommodate the tree this year, it wasn’t so much the way the sofa now faced east or how the storage ottoman sat perpendicular instead of parallel to it. Rather, it was the view that caught my attention and its gentle reminder about the symmetry of life.

Taking Tom Murray’s call seven years ago changed the course of my career, but in reality, more than one course was changed in Tom’s lifetime; hearts were, too.

This new year, I plan to follow my friend Karen’s lead and choose the “or.” Why? Because it’s in the “or” that life really happens.

“Wittenberg University. How may I help you?” The traditional phone greeting seemed simple enough at the small, liberal arts college in Springfield, Ohio. Yet behind the voice was so much more.

Life proved a little slower looking out at these Indiana fields, and while my speedy speech still created perplexed stares, I discovered an unmatched authenticity in our new hometown of Fort Wayne.

I stared at his hand, allowing — no, welcoming — a wave of memories to wash over me in the moment. It’s remarkable what we remember when time is no longer on our side.

Dan Nolan still remembers the moment he met an apparent angel. He was 27 years old at the time and about five years into pursuing his lifelong passion of being a firefighter.

The words about 2020 penned by several Connecticut eighth-graders reveal more than many requiring breath, thanks to one teacher who helped her students find their voice.

I had no idea that I was literally in the presence of a coaching legend. I was just showing up for a one-credit class.

When Connecticut ceased in-person education to combat COVID-19, a beloved middle school teacher had a brainstorm.

The humor that has accompanied the “new normal” has provided much needed relief.

Floodgates immediately opened on the phone that day as the magnitude of his request took hold.

The prospect of caring for something out of the ordinary was intriguing.

“If you break the overhead, we cannot leave, and you will become the enemy of everyone on board.”

When frustration starts to fuel your soul, find time to laugh.