Fred Jones:  

Life I went to work right out of high school and when I was about to get drafted I joined the Air Force for 4 years thinking that would keep me out of Vietnam. So I spent the last year of my tour in Vietnam. I went to college 5 years out of high school and that turned out to be a blessing. I was more mature and studying meant a lot more to me at that point in my life. My grade's were good enough to get into law school. I tried trial work for a couple of years after law school but did not like it so I took a job with a title insurance company to specialize in real estate law. Eventually, I owned my own title insurance agency with two partners. We used the cash flow from that company to set up a landscaping business and limousine service and to purchase a bar and restaurant. By 1990 all the businesses were either sold or liquidated with the title insurance agency being purchased by a national title insurance company for whom I currently work. During that time I also made a number of very good real estate investments which helped to put my 4 kids through college. My two sons have graduated from IU and my oldest daughter has graduated from Purdue. I still have a daughter who is a junior at IU. The kids are all from my first marriage which ended after 18 years. My second wife and I have been happily married for 10 years and her daughter is like my own. She will be going to IU next year. I call my wife my kindred spirit and I am not sure I would still be alive if we had not met. Both of our lives were wild and crazy, but our relationship brought a stability into our lives much to the pleasure of our children. At this point in my life my family and "the wonder of it all" are my greatest joys. I don't have any grandchildren yet and I can hardly wait for them. My children keep reminding me that I was 29 before my first child was born. My wife and I have travelled to many sacred places around the world and have been amazed at the abilities of our ancient ancestors both in the magnificence of their works and the depth of their spirituality. Our travels and the indigenous people who have befriended us along the way have inspired our own spiritual growth. When I am not working or travelling much of my spare time is spent reading about mysterious places and peoples and contemplating the "wonder of it all". When I think about all the changes in the last 200 years, and especially the last 56 years, I...Expand for more