Many different Cultures & Religions are now/will be observing special days & periods over the next couple of months. All of us with computers are extremely fortunate to be alive during this time in history. Many of us "Over 25's" know how much computer-access & the Internet have changed human life. Just the idea of being able to broadcast a song or listen to a song virtually anywhere on the planet is absolutely astonishing!

It doesn't take much to overload ourselves this time of year. There's never enough hours in the day (or days in the week) to get everything done we want to do. But we all need to stop long enough to remember the fact that many people don't have the advantages we have. Many don't even have what we'd consider the basic necessities for life. Sometime during this season,look at what you have;Do you really need ALL those shirts,some of which you hardly wear? Do you need those coffee cups you don't have room in the cabinet for? What about that "back-up" printer or those cds & floppys of programs you haven't used in over a year? Got any books or magazines stuck away in boxes or stacked in closets? Old small appliences you don't/never used?

Anything that you have extra of,or don't use at least once a month,donate it to a local charitable group. Ask family,friends,& neighbors who might could make use of this or that. Programs for remedial education & skills training can use many software programs to help others to learn how to support themselves & their families. And hardware is needed by many organizations for their basic operations. Got screws,nails,hand or power tools,or lumber left over from projects past? Contact 'Habitat for Humanity'. Pay attention to your own neighborhood;your own block. Is there a house needing some basic upkeep that the owner cannot do or a vacant lot that needs cleaning off? Get together a group to lend a hand.

There are so many ways to assist people who are less fortunate. I know from experience. Hundreds of miles from home,no friends or family to see:On Christmas day 1990 a group of 5 or 6 people got together & took a couple of pieces of fruit,a note pad & pencil,& a smile to each of the patients in the Texas State Chest Hospital in San Antonio,Texas. I was one of those lucky patients. I cannot express the joyous feelings in my heart that day. Sure,it wasn't much materially,but it was just the fact that someone acknowledged our existence! We had worth as human beings!

That's the kind of difference our giving can have. Let's all try & do some "Free Giving" this year.It costs nothing,yet has priceless value.
Love & Peace.