"I think raising my daughters on my own was the most challenging and the most rewarding. It was fun. I also learned how resilient children are. We get together every Sunday when they're here. I think it is a very rewarding experience.... I got in touch with my feminine side. The first thing I learned was the necessity to multitask, and secondly being able to express my feelings openly," Jim, 55, says. He also inherited his German shepherd "V" from one of his three daughters. "They named him Vegas. I shortened it to V. It's much simpler. I never cared for Vegas either," he admits.

Each day Jim walks "V" three miles through downtown Carrboro. What he relishes most is connecting with people along his route. "It gives you a sense of humanity. The diversity of people here economically, socially, educationally, everything....It's pretty cool."

(photograph taken near Main and Greensboro streets in Carrboro)