Thank you Linda. That was and is a truly beautiful story and one that touched my heart and brought tears to my eyes. Not sad tears but tears of joy.

I know exactly what you mean. I personally have many stories like this in my memory and for me, it is acts like this that heal our souls. No matter how bad I think my life can get sometimes, and it has been pretty bad at times, the act of helping, giving and sharing with someone else gives me such joy and truly, I get a lot more than I give.

You said "it was only one man" but I believe that is how we create change, do good things, and help to make the world a better place....one person at a time.

Thank you for this beautiful gift you've made. Sharing is the heart of it. My tears remind me of the heart.

As I have been sitting here thinking about this and again trying to remember and learn more from it, I am reminded of a feeling I had that Christmas Eve. It wasn't the roast beef and mashed potatoes and gravy or the Christmas cookies or apple pies...it was the table cloth and real plates. It seemed that it made these men feel that they weren't throw away like the paper plates and plastic utensils.

My God! I should pray everyday that I never make anyone feel like they are disposable. That is my thought for the day - make everyone I greet or meet today feel valuable.

Your beautiful, inspiring reminiscence resonated with this letter by Bo Lozoff, an extraordinary man who I saw perform last night. If only we could truly fathom the value of EVERYTHING and treat each moment of this precious and fleeting life, and supremely, each person, with the love and care that is deserved.

from: http://www.humankindness.org/god letter.html

An Impatient Letter From God by Bo Lozoff

Bo wrote the following article for the Human Kindness Foundation newsletter at Christmas-time, 1989. It was then included in his 1990 book Just Another Spiritual Book.

Since then, the essay has been widely circulated, though almost always uncredited. Radio commentator Paul Harvey included the piece in his radio program on two occasions, apparently receiving a deluge of calls, mail, and faxes (we hope mostly positive). Now this piece can be found at numerous websites, often edited, and usually listed as, "author unknown." The following is the original letter.

Date: Eternity

From: GOD

To: My Children on Earth

re: Idiotic religious rivalries

My Dear Children (and believe me, that's all of you),

I consider myself a pretty patient Guy. I mean, look at the Grand Canyon. It took millions of years to get it right. And how about evolution? Boy, nothing is slower than designing that whole Darwinian thing to take place, cell by cell and gene by gene. I've even been patient through your fashions, civilizations, wars and schemes, and the countless ways you take Me for granted until you get yourselves into big trouble again and again.

But on this occasion of My Son's birthday, I want to let you know about some things that are starting to tick me off.

First of all, your religious rivalries are driving Me up a wall. Enough already! Let's get one thing straight: These are your religions, not Mine. I'm the Whole Enchilada; I'm beyond them all. Every one of your religions claims there's only one of Me (which, by the way, is absolutely true). But in the very next breath, each religion claims it's My favorite one. And each claims its bible was written personally by me, and that all the other bibles are man-made. Oh, Me. How do I even begin to put a stop to such complicated nonsense?

Okay, listen up now: I'm your Father and Mother, and I don't play favorites among My Children. Also, I hate to break it to you, but I don't write. My longhand is awful, and I've always been more of a "doer" anyway. So all your books, including the bibles, were written by men and women. They were inspired, remarkable people, but they also made mistakes here and there. I made sure of that, so that you would never trust a written word more than your own living Heart.

You see, one Human Being to me -- even a Bum on the street -- is worth more than all the holy books in the world. That's just the kind of Guy I Am. My Spirit is not an historical thing, It's alive right here, right now, as fresh as your next breath.

Holy books and religious rites are sacred and powerful, but not more so than the least of You. They were only meant to steer you in the right direction, not to keep you arguing with each other, and certainly not to keep you from trusting your own personal connection with Me.

Which brings Me to My next point about your nonsense: You act like I need you and your religions to stick up for Me or "win souls" for My Sake. Please, don't do Me any favors. I can stand quite well on my own, thank you. I don't need you to defend Me, and I don't need constant credit. I just want you to be good to each other.

And another thing: I don't get all worked up over money or politics, so stop dragging My name into your dramas. For example, I swear to Me that I never threatened Oral Roberts. I never rode in any of Rajneesh's Rolls Royces. I never told Pat Robertson to run for president, and I've never ever had a conversation with Jim Bakker, Jerry Falwell, or Jimmy Swaggart! Of course, come Judgement Day, I certainly intend to...

The thing is, I want you to stop thinking of religion as some sort of loyalty pledge to Me. The true purpose of your religions is so that you can become more aware of Me, not the other way around. Believe Me, I know you already. I know what's in each of your hearts, and I love you with no strings attached. Lighten up and enjoy Me. That's what religion is best for.

What you seem to forget is how mysterious I Am. You look at the petty little differences in your scriptures and say, "Well, if this is the Truth, then that can't be!" But instead of trying to figure out My Paradoxes and Unfathomable Nature -- which, by the way, you never will -- why not open your hearts to the simple common threads in every religion?

You know what I'm talking about: Love and respect everyone. Be kind. Even when life is scary or confusing, take courage and be of good cheer, for I Am always with you. Learn how to be quiet, so you can hear My Still, Small Voice (I don't like to shout). Leave the world a better place by living your life with dignity and gracefulness, for you are My Own Child. Hold back nothing from life, for the parts of you that can die will surely die, and the parts that can't, won't. So don't worry, be happy (I stole that last line from Bobby McFerrin, but he stole it from Meher Baba in the first place.)

Simple stuff. Why do you keep making it so complicated? It's like you're always looking for an excuse to be upset. And I'm very tired of being your main excuse. Do you think I care whether you call me Yahweh, Jehovah, Allah, Wakantonka, Brahma, Father, Mother, or even The Void or Nirvana? Do you think I care which of My Special Children you feel closest to -- Jesus, Mary, Buddha, Krishna, Mohammed or any of the others? You can call Me and My Special Ones any name you choose, if only you would go about My business of loving one another as I love you. How can you keep neglecting something so simple?

I'm not telling you to abandon your religions. Enjoy your religions, honor them, learn from them, just as you should enjoy, honor, and learn from your parents. But do you walk around telling everyone that your parents are better than theirs? Your religion, like your parents, may always have the most special place in your heart; I don't mind that at all. And I don't want you to combine all the Great Traditions into One Big Mess. Each religion is unique for a reason. Each has a unique style so that people can find the best path for themselves.

But My Special Children -- the ones your religions revolve around -- all live in the same place (My Heart) and they get along perfectly, I assure you. The clergy must stop creating a myth of sibling rivalry where there is none.

My Blessed Children of Earth, the world has grown too small for your pervasive religious bigotry and confusion. The whole planet is connected by air travel, satellite dishes, telephones, fax machines, rock concerts, diseases, and mutual needs and concerns. Get with the program! If you really want to help Me celebrate the birthday of My Son Jesus, then commit yourselves to figuring out how to feed your hungry, clothe your naked, protect your abused, and shelter your poor. And just as importantly, make your own everyday life a shining example of kindness and good humor. I've given you all the resources you need, if only you abandon your fear of each other and begin living, loving, and laughing together.

Finally, My Children everywhere, remember whose birth is honored on December 25th, and the fearlessness with which He chose to live and die. As I love Him, so do I love each one of you. I'm not really ticked off, I just wanted to grab your attention because I hate to see you suffer. But I gave you Free Will, so what can I do now other than to try to influence you through reason, persuasion, and a little old-fashioned guilt and manipulation? After all, I Am the original Jewish Mother. I just want you to be happy, and I'll sit in The Dark. I really Am, indeed, I swear, with you always. Always. Trust In Me.

Your One and Only,

GOD

Wow...thank you for sharing that Rory! Am I the only one who never saw this before? Guess that's what I get for not owning a radio and never turning on the TV in my apartment!

Its funny, Linda, he sang a John Prine song about smashing your tv set...so I guess in his eyes (and mine ;) ) you are on the right track!

Linda, you are sooo cool. Thankx for leaving your story.

I love you so much. You continue to inspire me. John Powers thought I would like your story and boy was he right.

For once!

You know me though, I'll argue about anything. My own brother says that I would argue with a dead man. I got to differ with you when you say that you have forgotten ANY of the "lessons" of "giving and sharing," or of "family and interconnectedness."

You are free to chastise yourself all ya want, of course, though I believe that beating up on one's self won't bring us growth and tolerance. Beating ourselves up only adds to the pain and doubt we all carry around like a sack of Christmas toys, ever ready to share with one another.

Yeah, honey, it's a free country, sort of, and you can beat up on yourself, but you can't just use a bold-faced lie to beat yourself up. I usually love it when a woman lies to me, because it means we're intimate enough for her to consider my view important, but the lie must have some basis in reality for me to be reassured.

You cannot just tell me a lie so bold that I won't be able to suspend my own disbelief. Not even Reagan/Bush and the neo-Nazis can get me to believe just any old lie. When you tell me that you have forgotten anything about "giving and sharing," or of "family and interconnectedness," I am unable to digest so startling a fantasy -- even from you.

I know for certain that you are a constant voice for sharing, giving and connecting. Was someone else to say these horrible things about you, I would have to go by HIS house: NO woman would dare be so audacious.

My experience of you has been one of constant mediation and support, of ALL the human interactions, of everyone around you, in the most giving and loving ways. I KNOW you to be someone who constantly shares everything she has, consistently does everything she can to build community, and works unceasingly to give loving support to ALL of US around you in countless ways -- large and small.

I would say that better than MOST of US, you remember the lessons of loving connectedness every day and share them without blaming to transform yourself and those of US lucky enough to be around you.

IF you want: I can teach you to be a much better liar. I've got some unfortunate experience in that area.

sigh what an amazingly beautiful and heart-ful post, Linda. thank you So much for sharing that. I read it on Razoo, followed it back here and read it again for good measure. (also loved the pictures that are viewable here).

and Mark, I LOoooVED that 'letter'. After writing to God/The Universe for about 12 years now (through the hammered text artworks) this stuff IS right in line with the answers I've heard back:). More recently I subscribe to 'Notes from the Universe' which I get in my mailbox daily and which have a similar levity and unconditional love. Just a few lines designed to make me smile and remember much about faith, love and letting go of fear and self-imposed obstacles.

Richard, you are adorable. a gem whose own light shines sooo brightly when helping reflect and reveal another's.

Great post Linda,

It reminds me somehow of the Krishna's. Several stages in life.

Last stage is to leave your family and worldly goods and concentrate on the spiritual life.

Linda, you had me at "Dear Dawn Sfanos". Now I that I have read your thoughtful and well written perspective on giving, it is easy to understand why so many appear so devoted to you. Your loveliness spills out of you and washes over any who are near.

Your point that the giving is as much the gift itself is spot on. I think that often we let feelings of inadequacy or our fear of being uncomfortable limit our giving to the writting of a check. The poor can't feed the poor, so I would not imply a financial contribution is less then a physical one. I simply agree with you that the act of giving of one's self becomes the gift.