"Why do you enjoy preaching at Duke chapel," the interviewer asked. And I heard myself reply, "Because it's a great privilege to be with young adults, students, who are making so many important decisions in their lives. The way I see it, of the five or six most important choices we make choices about career, education, marriage -- many will be made right here at Duke. And I enjoy preaching to, counseling with, people who are at that stage of life."

It is a privilege to be with people asking, "What ought I to do with my life? With whom am I in love?" Especially good to be with the young people here, students who have so many talents and abilities and therefore, so many interesting choices. Should I go into clinical work or concentrate on pure research? Graduate school in French, or law sch…