Today, Jan.9 is Todd's birthday.Todd is a man that I came to call brother. He shared this birthday with my sister Lori who passed in 1995. I just know they are talking about me up there!

Oddly enough, it is also Richard Nixon's birthday. This birthday party in heaven should be very intresting, assuming Richard was invited, or assuming that he is even in heaven in the first place.

Lost for word,s...so from the main page...
"Love is death. Love is life. Love is. And so am I." - ADG
Love ya and miss you Bro....

Happy Day, Todd, wherever you are <img src="http://www.arlo.net/ubb/smilies/peace.gif" width=16 height=16>

Larry, do you really think T. Dickey would be there? I can't imagine it, but who knows?...I know my mom and dad are up there dancing to celebrate Todd's birthday, though; Todd was so supportive of me during my dad's last months, and the two of them had uncommon strength and depth of mind and soul in common.

I'm guessing if anyone up there was bored, they aren't bored any more! Peace, Todd.

I know you are dancing.

I was sent the following e-mail in honor of Todd's birthday, and I wanted to share it with everyone and to say, happy birthday to todd and to Larry's sister.

Five lessons to make you think about the way we treat people.

1 - First Important Lesson - Cleaning Lady.

During my second month of college, our professor gave us a pop quiz. I
was a conscientious student and had breezed through the questions,
until I read the last one: "What is the first name of the woman who cleans the
school?

Surely this was some kind of joke. I had seen the cleaning woman
several times. She was tall, dark-haired and in her 50s, but how would I know
her name?

I handed in my paper, leaving the last question blank. Just
before class ended, one student asked if the last question would count toward
our quiz grade. "Absolutely," said the professor. "In your careers, you
will meet many people. All are significant. They deserve your attention and
care, even if all you do is smile and say 'hello'.

I've never forgotten that lesson. I also learned her name was Dorothy.


2. - Second Important Lesson - Pickup in the Rain

One night, at 11.30 p.m., an older African American woman was standing
on the side of an Alabama highway trying to endure a lashing rainstorm.
Her car had broken down and she desperately needed a ride. Soaking wet,
she decided to flag down the next car. A young white man stopped to help
her, generally unheard of in those conflict-filled 1960s. The man took her

to safety, helped her get assistance and put her into a taxicab.
She seemed to be in a big hurry, but wrote down his address and
thanked him.

Seven days went by and a knock came on the man's door. To his
surprise, a giant console color TV was delivered to his home. A special note was
attached. It read:

"Thank you so much for assisting me on the highway the other night.
The rain drenched not only my clothes, but also my spirits. Then you came
along. Because of you, I was able to make it to my dying husband's
bedside just before he passed away. God bless you for helping me and
unselfishly serving others."

Sincerely, Mrs. Nat King Cole.

3 - Third Important Lesson - Always remember those who serve.

In the days when an ice cream sundae cost much less, a 10 -year-old
boy entered a hotel coffee shop and sat at a table. A waitress put a glass
of water in front of him. "How much is an ice cream sundae?" he
asked."Fifty cents," replied the waitress. The little boy pulled his hand out
of
his pocket and studied the coins in it. "Well how much is a plain dish of ice
cream?" , he inquired. By now more people were waiting for a table and the
waitress was growing impatient.
"Thirty-five cents," she brusquely replied. The little boy again
counted his coins. "I'll have the plain ice cream," he said. The waitress
brought the ice cream, put the bill on the table and walked away. The boy
finished the ice cream, paid the cashier and left.
When the waitress came back, she began to cry as she wiped down the
table.

There, placed neatly beside the empty dish, were two nickels and five
pennies.
You see, he couldn't have the sundae, because he had to have enough
left to leave her a tip.

4 - Fourth Important Lesson. - The obstacle in Our Path.

In ancient times, a King had a boulder placed on a roadway. Then he
hid himself and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock.
Some of the king's wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply
walked around it. Many loudly blamed the King for not keeping the roads clear,
but
none did anything about getting the stone out of the way.
Then a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. Upon
approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the
stone to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally
succeeded.
After the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a
purse lying in the road where the boulder had been. The purse contained many
gold
coins and a note from the King indicating that the gold was for the person who
removed the boulder from the roadway. The peasant learned what many of us never understand!
Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve our condition.

5 - Fifth Important Lesson - Giving When it Counts.

Many years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at a hospital, I got to
know a little girl named Liz who was suffering from a rare and serious
disease.

Her only chance of recovery appeared to be a blood transfusion from
her 5-year old brother, who had miraculously survived the same disease and
had developed the antibodies needed to combat the illness. The doctor
explained the situation to her little brother, and asked the little boy if he
would be willing to give his blood to his sister. I saw him hesitate for only a
moment before taking a deep breath and saying, "Yes I'll do it if it will save her."
As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed next to his sister and smiled, as we all
did, seeing the color returning to her cheek. Then his face grew pale and his
smile faded. He looked up at the doctor and asked with a trembling voice, "Will I start to die right away". Being young the little boy had misunderstood the doctor; he thought he was going to have to give his sister all of his blood in order to save her.

Now you have 2 choices.

1 Delete this email, or

2. Forward it to people you care about and might get a little lift
from reading it....as I did.

I hope that you will choose No. 2 and remember. "Work like you don't
need the money, love like you've never been hurt, and dance like you do
when nobody's watching."

NOW more than ever - Peace...Pass It On.....Pay It Forward

Todd is missed. And he paid it forward.

Todd, wherever you are... know that you made a difference! Thank you!

Do you have chonklit cake where you are?

... trying to pay it forward, as you showed us!

<FONT COLOR="blue">Still love ya, todd!</FONTc>

Todd, as Wyld said "you made a difference", well brother, you still are making a difference.

I hope Tricky Dicky is there and I hope that Todd is having a talk with him right now.

<img src="http://www.arlo.net/ubb/smilies/laugh.gif" width=15 height=15>

Somehow, I can't get this picture out of my head:

Tricky Dick trying to blow the candles out on his birthday cake, with Todd fiendishly in control of the valve supplying the butane gas feeding them!

more likely, todd is explaining to dickey that the 18 minutes ain't a mystery to us!

sorry i was late todd, but then, you really didn't care about that anyway, right?

and my goodness... it's heaven for cryin' out loud! What other kinda cake they gonna serve???? ANGEL FOOD??? gimme a break!!!!