There are 360 degrees on the face of a compass with an infinite number of minutes and seconds between the points. All of these combine to give a seeker a sense of direction. That is the purpose of this column — to give you, the reader, a point of direction. As an object on a map can be viewed from any number of points relative to your position so can an idea, event, or even a random thought, and all are different depending on where you stand.

It will be my privilege to give you points of view that you might not have considered. The views I present will be poignant, humorous, reverent, irreverent, sad, happy, angelic, devilish, harsh as well as gentle; well, you get the point; there are 360 of them.

The subjects will be myriad, ranging from people, to places, to situations, emotions, or just things; whatever I think needs attention, or strikes me as interesting and in need of comment. All will be of human interest. Some points of the compass you will agree with, some you will take serious issue with, but all of them should make you think. That is my goal.

I have led a full and wonderful life. I have fought in a war, loved passionately, lost painfully and adventured greatly. The greatest adventure of my life is being the father of eight children. They have been the source of my greatest joy, inspiration, loss, achievement and hope. You will hear much of them and the things they have taught me.

My wife and I, with our two youngest daughters have lived in the area for three years. We arrived from Alaska by sailboat after three years of traveling, dragged the anchor, and here we are. I, with them, have seen much, done much and learned a lot.

In addition to being the author of this column, I have written articles for various publications on various subjects. I am the author of two books. The first, a parenting guide called “The Common Guy’s Guide to Raising Children,” is available online and at a local bookstore; and the second is a historical novel set in the Civil War titled “Where the Mockingbird Sang.” Currently, it is in the hands of an agent with the goal of publication in June.

Hopefully I will be able to pass along the things I see and know in a way that will make your life richer. If what you read here makes you think, you are richer, and thinking is the goal.

David Wilson Atwood is a local freelance writer whose human interest columns offer a unique perspective.