THE ETHICAL LIFE Challenges are what make life interesting – Richard Kyte Richard Kyte Columnist May 29, 2026 May 29, 2026 Updated Jun 11, 2026 0 Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save The great temptation of growing older is settling into a relatively comfortable life.kAm~FC 2?46DE@CD 5:5 ?@E 92G6 E@ DECF88=6 282:?DE E92E A2CE:4F=2C E6>AE2E:@?] {:76 H2D D9@CE[ 2?5 7@C E96 >2;@C:EJ[ 2E =62DE[ 4@>7@CED H6C6 76H 2?5 D9@CE\=:G65] qFE @G6C E96 A2DE 46?EFCJ[ 8C@H:?8 AC@DA6C:EJ 2?5 E649?@=@8:42= 25G2?46>6?ED 92G6 C65F465 >2?J @7 E96 52:=J 492==6?86D 9F>2? 36:?8D 92G6 2=H2JD 72465]k^AmkAm}@H H6 92G6 2? 6?E:C6=J 5:776C6?E AC@3=6>] {:76 42? 364@>6 E@@ 4@>7@CE23=6] p?5 H:E9@FE 492==6?86D[ @?6 =@D6D 2== K6DE 7@C =:76]k^Am kAmx H2E4965 2D 4@>7@CE 4=2:>65 >J 525’D =:76] xE 5:5?’E <:== 9:>[ :E ;FDE 2E6 2H2J 2E 2== 9:D 6?E9FD:2D>D D@ E92E 96 3642>6 8C25F2==J =6DD :?E6C6DE65 2?5 =6DD :?E6C6DE:?8]k^Am People are also reading… NC doctor receives reprimand after telling patient to put hand sanitizer in ear Cabarrus Schools open house schedule and resources page Concord seeks artists for traffic signal box art project Lil' Roberts Place to end 16-year run - ‘One hell of a ride’ KHA presents Cannon Mills: Yesterday's Memories in Photography Friday Five: Walmart in the sky comes to Concord Commons Cabarrus County Football Jamboree set for Aug. 14 at Jay M. Robinson Panthers training camp - Brooks is back, fist fly and more "Three Musketeers" opens OCT's 51st season in Concord Cabarrus County Fair seeks exhibitors as Aug. 24 entry deadline approaches City of Concord honors quarterly high performers for outstanding service Commissioners approve $400M bond package for November ballot Whataburger set to open near Concord Mills Thursday Multicultural Community Choir reunites, honors founder Rev. Ruth Brooks State Archives webinar to explore real North Carolina history behind 'Outlander' kAmw6 H@F=5 86E FA :? E96 >@C?:?8[ 5C:?< 9:D 4@7766[ D>@<6 2 76H 4:82C6EE6D[ C625 E96 A2A6C 2?5 5@ 2 4C@DDH@C5 AFKK=6 @C EH@] w6 925 9:D 72G@C:E6 492:C[ 9:D 72G@C:E6 %' D9@HD 2?5 9:D 72G@C:E6 366C]k^AmkAmx? E96 6?5[ :E H2D?’E E96 %'[ @C E96 366C[ @C E96 4:82C6EE6D E92E <:==65 9:>] xE H2D E96 :?24E:G:EJ — E96 D966C C6A6E:E:G6 3@C65@> 9:D =:76 925 364@>6] w6 925 DE@AA65 5@:?8 2?JE9:?8 92C5 @C 492==6?8:?8] x H@F=5 42== 9:> 2E E96 6?5 @7 E96 H66<[ 2?5 96 H@F=5 92G6 ?@E9:?8 E@ D2J]k^Am kAmxE H2D D@ F?=:<6 E96 24E:G6 A6CD@? 96 925 366? 7@C >@DE @7 9:D =:76] w6 H2D ?@ =@?86C 9F?E:?8[ 7:D9:?8[ A2:?E:?8 @C H@@5H@C<:?8] w6 ;FDE D2E 2=@?6 :? E96 9@FD6 E92E H2D 72==:?8 2A2CE 2C@F?5 9:>[ H2E49:?8 %' :? 9:D 3:8[ 4@>7@CE23=6 492:C] p {2\+\q@J] $@>6E:>6D[ x DFDA64E[ 96 D=6AE E96C6 2== ?:89E]k^Am kAm%96 }2E:@?2= x?DE:EFE6D @7 w62=E9 C6A@CED E92E E96 2G6C286 p>6C:42? DA6?5D e½ E@ g 9@FCD D:EE:?8 6249 52J] (6 D:E 2E H@C<[ H6 D:E 2E 9@>6[ H6 D:E :? @FC 42CD] p?5 AC@=@?865 D:EE:?8[ 244@C5:?8 E@ w2CG2C5 |65:42= $49@@=[ “C2:D6D C:D<D 7@C @36D:EJ[ 5:236E6D[ 42C5:@G2D4F=2C 5:D62D6[ 566A\G6:? E9C@>3@D:D[ 2?5 >6E23@=:4 DJ?5C@>6]”k^Am Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts kAmpD x 2AAC@249 E96 286 H96? >J 525 DE2CE65 D=@H:?8 5@H?[ x’> 368:??:?8 E@ F?56CDE2?5 9:> 36EE6C] r@=5 52JD 766= 6G6? 4@=56C ?@H] x’> ?@E 2D 6286C E@ 86E FA 367@C6 52H? @? 2 H66<6?5 >@C?:?8 2?5 8@ @FE 7:D9:?8[ 6DA64:2==J H96? E96 H:?5 :D 3=@H:?8 2?5 E96 E96C>@>6E6C 5C@AD] %96 2CE9C:E:D :? >J <?66D 2?5 E9F>3D 8:G6D >6 2 8@@5 6I4FD6 E@ DE2J :?D:56 @G6C 2 9@E 4FA @7 4@7766] #625 E96 A2A6Cj =:DE6? E@ E96 C25:@ @C 2 A@542DE] x 42? 2=H2JD 8@ 7:D9:?8 E@>@CC@H]k^Am kAm%92E’D H92E 4@>7@CE H9:DA6CD :? >J 62Ci “%96C6’D 2=H2JD E@>@CC@H]” %@>@CC@H E@ 8@ 7:D9:?8[ E@>@CC@H E@ A2:?E E96 A@C49[ E@>@CC@H E@ HC:E6 E92E 4@=F>?] qFE :E’D 2== =:6D]k^Am kAmr@>7@CE :D E96 8C62E 5646:G6C] xE AC@>:D6D 92AA:?6DD 2?5 4@?E6?E>6?Ej :?DE625[ :E 3C:?8D =6E92C8J[ 3@C65@> 2?5 6G6?EF2==J 562E9]k^AmkAm“%96 52JD 2C6 8@5D[” HC:E6D t>6CD@?[ 2?5 ?6G6C H6C6 ECF6C H@C5D A6??65] tG6CJ 52J :D 9@=J] (6 D9@F=5 3@H 367@C6 6249 52J 2D :E 4@>6D[ ?6G6C EFC?:?8 @FC 324<[ ?6G6C D2J:?8[ “}@[ E92?< J@F] x’== H2:E 7@C E96 ?6IE 52J] %92E @?6 H:== 36 36EE6C]”k^Am kAmtA:4E6EFD AFED :E E9:D H2Ji “(96?6G6C J@F 6?4@F?E6C 2?JE9:?8 E92E :D 5:77:4F=E @C A=62DFC23=6 … C6>6>36C E92E E96 4@?E6DE :D ?@Hj J@F 2C6 2E E96 ~=J>A:4 82>6D[ J@F 42??@E H2:E 2?J =@?86C[ 2?5 J@FC AC@8C6DD :D HC64<65 @C AC6D6CG65 3J 2 D:?8=6 52J 2?5 2 D:?8=6 6G6?E]”k^Am kAmr92==6?86D 2C6 ?6G6C 62DJ] %92E’D H92E >2<6D E96> 492==6?86D] %96J 5@?’E 92G6 E@ 36 A2:?7F=[ 3FE E96J 92G6 E@ 36 92C5] %96 677@CE :E E2<6D E@ @G6C4@>6 E96> :D H92E 255D :?E6C6DE 2?5 >62?:?8 E@ =:76]k^AmkAm{62C?:?8 2 ?6H =2?8F286[ A=2J:?8 2? :?DECF>6?E[ A=2?E:?8 2 82C56?[ C625:?8 2 3@@<[ ;@:?:?8 2 8C@FA[ HC:E:?8 2 A@6>[ 3F:=5:?8 2 3:C5 9@FD6[ E2<:?8 2 EC:A[ >2<:?8 2 ?6H 7C:6?5i E96 =:DE @7 A@DD:3=6 492==6?86D :D 6?5=6DD[ 2?5 6?5=6DD=J 72D4:?2E:?8]k^AmkAm(6 92G6 C624965 2 A@:?E :? 9F>2? 9:DE@CJ H96C6 H6 >FDE 56=:36C2E6=J :>A@D6 492==6?86D FA@? @FCD6=G6D 3642FD6 :E :D ;FDE E@@ 62DJ E@ D6EE=6 7@C E96 72>:=:2C[ E96 4@>7@CE23=6]k^Am kAm“v6E 369:?5 >6[ r@>7@CE[” 4@F=5 36 2 ?6H D=@82? 7@C @FC 286]k^Am Richard Kyte is director of the D.B. Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership at Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wis., and co-host of "The Ethical Life" podcast. Richard Kyte is the director of the D.B. Reinhart Institute for Ethics in Leadership at Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wisconsin. His new book, “Finding Your Third Place: Building Happier Communities (and Making Great Friends Along the Way),” is available from Fulcrum Books. He also cohosts “The Ethical Life” podcast. 0 Comments Locations Lacrosse Catch the latest in Opinion Get opinion pieces, letters and editorials sent directly to your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story Ethical Life playlist SoundStack