Our father never had to yell at us much when we were growing up. No one ever wanted to let Dad down.

What Dad's taught me is that life doesn't end when you get to be in your 70s and your 80s, and he has a philosophy of life that just - 'What more can I do? How can I help?'

Doing what you thought was right for the country, rather than what was politically expedient, seems almost as quaint now as having civil disagreements with those whose viewpoints differ from your own.

Access to a quality education in our country is a civil right for all Americans young and old. But to ensure it for scores of our fellow Americans, we must rethink education.

Circulating through the children's ward and seeing terminally ill kids, heads shaved, smiling and having a ball despite the tubes and needles sticking into them, I thought: What do I have to worry about? If God takes me, at least I've lived for 35 years.

My mother has always kept the entire family together - my dad, due to his business, has always been travelling, and hence, she at times had to play the role of a father and a mother as well.

I cannot say who, precisely, came up with the idea of a Stone Age family.

Our whole family assembles in Chicago at Christmas and usually in Aspen in the summer.