In a contemplative mood last week, I pondered some of life's questions that have been swirling lately. America is in a weird place; our politics are a mess, our economy looks great on paper but many families are struggling to make ends meet, social groups are at each others' throats, and a wild and unpredictable election season is swirling.

There is no easy answer. Many people who live urban lives fantasize about moving out to the country, going 'off the grid,' as if that provides a solution to all their problems. People who grew up on a farm, working hard since they were young children, fantasize about living in the city with access to the arts and culture... and grocery stores that carry jugs of milk that they didn't have to go get from a cow.

The grass is always greener, and yet in America, it feels a bit as if the grass is rather  ...