Whence Matt?

In this ongoing series of posts, I’d like to write about major influences on me through the years. What people, schools, institutions, denominations, and other influences helped shaped me to be what I am? I won’t write about all of them (who could really come up with all of them, and who would really care?), but I do want to honor those that really helped to form me in significant ways.

("Whence" is an old English word that means, "From Where?")

This is a self-portrait in my favorite place in the world: Cook Forest State Park.