With the Cooper family's twice-yearly 15-hour drive down south to see family coming up, it was time the other day to replace the tires on the Jeep. That got me thinking about another journey altogether. I'd like to take you along for the ride.

Our goal with each of the cars Suzanna and I have owned over the course of our 26-year marriage is to purchase a low-mileage used vehicle, rack up 200,000-plus miles on the odometer, and, then, when the car finally gives up the ghost, repeat the process. Our current vehicle has 152,000 miles on it. We figure that those replacement tires helped buy us another 60,000 miles. That would get us past the desired 200K mark—meaning it's not likely we'll be purchasing yet another of wheels for the Jeep. We salute it for its support of the Coopers, but its service looks to be nearly done.

It's fun for us to think 4 years or so ahead and wonder what our next car might be—and what great new features it might include in this age of constant technological enhancements. But let's move beyond cars, because the ride I want to broach now is the journey of life.