When my daughter and son were very young, I would often read them a book by Shel Silverstein called The Giving Tree. The book was about the relationship between a boy and a tree that gave him unconditional love. Later in life, I noticed that we are each like different kinds of trees. Some trees are tall, thin and sway easily, while others have thicker trunks and less elasticity. Some trees are very inviting because they bear fruit or flowers, others have thorns to protect themselves from harsher environments, while conserving precious resources. Like trees, we are all different, serving a different purpose in maintaining nature’s balance.

Throughout my life, I have enjoyed helping others whenever I could. Giving and helping for the sake of giving and helping nourishes me. I never feel that I was giving in order to receive — the desire to give is totally natural and feels like I am receiving a return on an investment I never made. I now realize that the reason I enjoyed reading The Giving Tree to my children is because I, too, am a giving tree. Today, I feel deeply nourished, planting seeds of goodness in the world by sharing my discoveries and insights about life and living. 

This is my life’s work — I look forward to sharing it with you.