I am just writing a quick blog on here before I leave for New Orleans tomorrow. I finished work at 3:00 this afternoon but there is a big dinner/concert event at a charity I volunteer for in Denver called "The Gathering Place." I am using their internet right now as I am typing this. The Gathering Place is a place for homeless women and children to get help. This not a typical homeless shelter filled with male alcoholics and the mentally ill. This home was originally started by the late Denver Catholic priest named C.B. Woodrich - locally known as "Father Woody", although the non-catholic volunteers, like myself ,called him Burt.

When "Burt" was alive, we shared life stories, had debates about religion (if you read my profile - it says Jewish) and swapped cigarettes in the alley behind the shelter, back in the day, when I was a heavy Marlboro smoker. I quit smoking 12 years ago. Yes, it is true, a few Catholic priest DO smoke and many more rabbis are smokers because in the Torah - it is not a sin to smoke. But through people like Father Woody, a lady I nicknamed "Miss Ethel" in one of my first blogs and actually meeting, in person, a Christian singer, named Steven Curtis Chapman ( a Jewish convert) at the very same place that I am writing this blog - I have switched my position on religion - somewhat. I am a Messianic Jew, and I feel that I have to put this in writing because I feel that my profile doesn't reflect who I honestly am. There is story behind this WAY too long to write on this blog.

But getting back to Gathering Place, there are so many inspiring stories and wonderful events that take place here. From my e-mail this week, I received a true story about a six year old who is VERY talented at making crafts. Her mom took the pictures and wrote the articles on this blog from the very same computer I am typing on. Here is the link: http://imacraftartist.blogspot.com/ When they started this website, they were not homeless, but after a divorce and after her mom was laid-off - it became the perfect storm for homelessness.

There are so many more stories like this and I don't want to go into length and bore everyone on here. Volunteering here brings me back to reality away from the postal world who have created a selfish society unto their own. There are much more sadder tales in our world than the guy who is being picked on because the boss told him that he had to actually WORK for his paycheck. Sometimes there are people that need someone to walk into their life while the rest of the world walks out.

I cannot explain why I volunteer here in mere words on a blog. I suppose some things are easier to see through the heart than through our eyes. And just like what we do on our jobs or for our family and friends......

Our work is simply love made visible.