When one is blessed -- even as I have been to overcome unwanted, unexpected tragic loss -- that blessing of faith, hope and enthusiasm deserves to be offered in the service of others.
Every life ought to be filled to the brim with the blessing that returns when one becomes a man or a woman for others. We truly find ourselves when we are in service to our neighbor. The slide show depicts images of many who have enriched my life that has reinforced the things that really matter, which are not "things" at all, but those aspects of the world that we know as those we love and those who love us. In this collection of photos are family, a young president who stirred my father to throw himself into politics to help achieve a narrow victory for JFK in 1960 (with his 9 year old son (me) in tow); a preschool my family delighted in running without profit in Michigan near our farm; Chris Stevens, whose friendship I miss, and whose service to country and the world is lessened by making his life and death a political football; and speaking of football, the golden dome of Notre Dame where I taught law for 20 years; Piotr Kmiec, who hid Jewish families from the Nazi Gestapo and gave his life doing so bringing honor to the Kmiec name as "blessed among all nations"; the Chief Rabbi of Malta and descendant of an extraordinary prophet; Pope Francis whose humility and call to service has touched millions; and fond pictures of family and friend.
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