I never met her before.

I had never met him either. . .

A son who was bedside when his mother died, peacefully after suffering a stroke less than two weeks ago.

He made a very difficult decision:

TO RESPECT HER WISHES OF NO AGGRESSIVE TREATMENTS OR INTERVENTIONS.

She died, comfortably with her son by her side.

He instantly became an orphan with her last breath. . .No Father, No Mother, No Brothers, No Sisters. . .

But. . .he had F A M I L Y:

His daughter arrived shortly after her grandmother died and so did four of his best friends from A A

The scene quickly turned into a most sacred Requiem.

We surrounded the patient in a most perfect IMPERFECT circle and I asked one simple, significant question:

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE STORY ABOUT EMMA?

We quickly discovered it wasn’t     O N E    but many stories that started flowing. . .

each inspiring yet another

.     .     .  and then another.

There was laughter. . .There was tears. . .There was silence. . .There was sacred RE-Member-ing.

There was a sacred

R      E      Q      U      I      E      M      I      N      G

I shared a small prayer with us standing there holding hands but we all knew

THAT WHEN THE BENEDICTION IS LOVE the Song is the sweetest.

“T H E Y”

will tell you what is the most powerful force in the world today. . .

But make no mistake. . .the greatest force in and out of this world today is

OUR MEMORIES

OUR STORIES

OUR LOVE. . .that makes them so

R   E   Q   U   I   E   M – A   B   L   E !

It’s one thing to tell  THAT  story .  .  .

Quite another to be a  participant  in it .  .  .

Something MORE to NOTICE

that we’re a  THREAD in the Tapestry

that never fades but covers and comforts us all

as we become Notes in the ever unfolding,

never ending

R      E      Q      U      I      E      M

Sing it with me,

w  i  t  h      u   s.   .   .

You’re already in the  C h o i r,  anyway. . .

There’s plenty of room in the Circle. . .

C o m p l e t e

U   S

Buddy, can you spare a dime?

How about seven minutes?

GIFT

is a short film that has a profound, heart-touching message about the importance of GIVING, and the true value of wealth. It’s a beautiful deperiction of how we deeply touch others when we SELFLESSLY give our time, love and kindness.

GIFT

is about a boy who grew up not liking his father because he believed he was poor, unintelligent and unsuccessful, but his father had a secret. It was only until after his father’s death he discovers the true reach of his father’s generosity towards others and the joy and laughter he brought to others. He finally understands his father’s message to him as a boy, that

“BEING RICH IS NOT ABOUT HOW MUCH YOU HAVE, BUT HOW MUCH YOU GIVE”

I’ve watched the film several times and used it in a couple of presentations I’ve given, and plan to use it in some upcoming ones in March.

It doesn’t matter how many times I watch it.

I tear up

I gulp a little harder

I hear two words that just keep resounding louder and louder above the soft soundtrack. . .

I’M

A S H A M E D.

I’m filthy, stinking rich. . .

and aim to become just a little richer than any calculations could ever compute

. . .and even richer, still, tomorrow.

Here’s my invitation:

JOIN ME!