Thank you to Teri A. Davis who with her room mate saw past her own hardship and months and years of Macaroni and cheese to use the first real money she has earned in a long time to put together a package for our Overseas Friend Svetlana.

Thank you to Matt Sesow who assisted New York City's homeless with his contribution to BIGnews  magazine.

Thank you to Don Schultz's generosity and time as I never could have had the means to buy this software to build this site without his help.

Here is something really neat that Liz sent in.  Liz also is a friend of Rafael's and even today  is touched by his spirit..

A water bearer had two large pots, each hung on the ends
of a pole which he carried across his neck. One of the pots
had a crack in it, while the other pot was perfect and always
delivered a full portion of water. At the end of the long walk
from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only
half full. For a full two years this went on daily, with the
bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of water to
his house.

Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments,
perfect for which it was made. But the poor cracked pot
was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that
it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made
to do.

After 2 yrs of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke
to the water bearer one day by the stream.

"I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you.
I have been able to deliver only half my load because this
crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back
to your house. Because of my flaws, you have to do all of
this work, and you don't get full value from your efforts,"
the pot said.

The bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there
were flowers only on your side of the path, but not on the
other pot's side? That's because I have always known
about your flaw, and I planted flower seeds on your side
of the path, and every day while we walk back, you've
watered them. For two years I have been able to pick
these beautiful flowers to decorate the table. Without
you being just the way you are, there would not be
this beauty to grace the house."

Moral: Each of us has our own unique flaws. We're
all cracked pots. But it's the cracks and flaws we
each have that make our lives together so very
interesting and rewarding. You've just got to take
each person for what they are, and look for the good
in them. Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be
bent out of shape. Remember to appreciate all the
different people in your life!
 

Thank you to my sister Patricia and my brother in law Gary for always being there for me and always being loving, kind, and  helpful through all my accidents, injuries, and for being a wonderful auntie and uncle to my girls.

Thank you to my brother Rich for being such a great person, giving wonderful computer advice and for being the kind and helpful person you are to new techs on the net.  Marshall  says:  You are the James Bond of the Internet.

Thank you to my Mom for teaching me two very important things.  1. You have to be tough or you'll never make it in this world. and 2.  Always look for the best in People.

Thank you to my sister Teresa who takes care of Grams now in Kansas doing what I wished I could.  You are an Angel.

Thank you to all the rest of my very large family for being who you are and know I love you very much.