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For many years Humberto Cruz has been one of the best in the business of writing about personal finance. I always look for his column in the Sunday paper, and today it included the news that next week’s column will be his last, as he retires to spend more time following his passions. Congratulations and good luck, Humberto, we’ll miss you.

I was saddened to hear today of the death of Martin Ginsburg, the noted tax lawyer, law professor and author. I had the privilege of attending several seminars where he spoke, enjoying his mischievous humor as much as his penetrating analysis of the deepest complexities of corporate tax law. His death makes news partly because he was the husband of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. (In offering biographical information he liked to say he moved to Washington when his wife “got a good job there.”) Among tax lawyers he was a towering figure in his own right and will be missed by many.

In The Journey we go off-topic with personal observations.

The other day someone hired me for a brief consultation on how to handle his stock options. This was the first time I ever talked to the guy and perhaps also the last, and we spent the entire time discussing investment risk and tax issues. As we wrapped up the conversation, though, he said, “I’ll send you a picture of my family.” Minutes later I opened an email attachment to see a family of four enjoying a happy moment together. Sending the photo was such a simple gesture, and such an extraordinary and touching one. And it was a reminder, which I’ll pass along knowing that many of my readers are financial professionals: when we help our clients, it isn’t about money, it’s about people and families.