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.