I really love writing this weekly e-newsletter, which enables us to stay in touch with you and the rest of the growing group of people who resonate with the Circle's message.  It's relatively easy for me, thanks to the creativity, generosity and diligence of our editor/publisher, Susan Damon.  But I must admit that it still takes quite a bit of time and energy, and there are times when I feel so challenged by the task that I find myself asking, "just why are we doing this, anyway?"
         
But invariably, just when that happens, we'll receive affirmation from folks like Pat King.  You may remember that he and his wife, Dee, and baby daughter used to attend our Sunday gatherings frequently until they moved out of town last year.  Pat recently e-mailed: 
 
"This afternoon I was reminded of how important it is to stay in contact with friends by my daughter, Deni.  Opening the link to the pod cast from the most recent Circle newsletter, I placed Deni on my lap and clicked on the meditation. She immediately began swaying and dancing to the music. Then as Rudolf's voice started, she did something I had never seen her do. She looked at me with this puzzled look, reached out to the computer screen with both arms extended and did the "grabby" motion with both hands, wanting to touch the music and the recognizable voice coming out of the speakers...
 
Deni is 21 months old now.  We recently went to see her cardiologist who determined that she must undergo a heart catheterization at age 3, and then six months later, will have the second reconstruction on her heart. She is being a normal little toddler. She's into everything, loves going out on our lawn and playing in her sand box. Climbs on everything, pulls everything out of cabinets, chases the dog around, runs, and loves to scribble with her pens and crayons. Music is her first love of course and she will dance to exhaustion when a song comes on she loves.
 
Dee has also had some health issues, but is just one year from graduating with her Masters in Education. As for myself, I have re-entered online University studies for my Masters in Clinical Psychology.  Work has not been kind to us. Jobs are hard to find. We live rather isolated out in the middle of ranch land along the west side of Lake Corpus Christi. Right off the shoreline, with lots of trees, grasses and wild animals all around us...  We greatly miss the Circle and all the people, the messages, & the music. There is nothing else even remotely like Circle Celebration anywhere within a 100-mile radius of us... We miss you all and look forward to the weekly News. Thanks for being there."
 
Thank you for your kind words, and for staying in touch, Pat, Dee and Deni.  And thank you, dear reader, for your support in keeping the Circle going and growing for the past 17 years.  Whether you live near or far away, attend often or seldom, your support is what makes it possible for the Circle to continue.
 
With gratitude and hopes of seeing you Around the Circle sometime soon,