September 2, 2001
Samuel: Hello, dears.
Hi, Samuel.
S: All right, have you felt the turnaround? And is it good for you? Feels sort of like a bit of a weight’s taken off of you? And many of you are saying, yes, yes, and some of you are still looking shell-shocked.
You’ve been going through so very much change over the last couple of years, and certainly over the last few weeks a change in the nature of even that energy, and some of that has let up. Now, although somebody who is watching this video or listening to these tapes a few years down the road is not going to have any idea what in the world I’m talking about here, for right now, for you, at this moment you are noticing that that strong and unfamiliar outpouring of energy causing you to be just a little spacier than usual, perhaps forgetting a bit more, perhaps feeling a bit pressured—a lot maybe—has only in the last couple of days let up a bit. And it has. So I wanted to start with the good news.
This is a very special night this night. I’m going to be talking about—Bonnie?—getting rich by spending. Aye. Sounds like a topic you want to hear about. Yes?
[…] why you said that to me.
S: Sitting here in my head was let Bonnie know. Getting rich by spending. Getting rich by spending. Sounds like what I’m going to be speaking about this night probably has to do with wise investments, and you’re right, it does. Sounds as though it might not fit with—good grief—with tonight’s theme, which is an appreciation of the volunteers around here. But I can tell by the working of your minds that some of you are already a step ahead in figuring out where I’m going with this. So somebody, how about a quick couple of lines about where I’m going.
You get rich by serving. You find love by giving.
S: Indeed. Indeed. Absolutely. Well said.
A dear friend in Pittsburgh lives by this biblical story, so Tillie, this one’s for you, love.
Once upon a time, long, long ago, in your own galaxy, your own world and your own historic records, there was a being who was a rather unhappy leader. He had been called to do a job, and he was not real happy about it. And you refer to him as Moses. It always tickles me when I try to tell stories out of your Bible, because you’re all such a bunch of heathens. You don’t know your own literature. It doesn’t matter, Old Testament, New Testament.
All right, why is it that I say he was not a particularly willing leader? He was not necessarily the first one to raise his hand when it was said, We need a volunteer. Why was that, do you think, other than the fact that he was being asked to do more than bring a casserole to a potluck?
Well, I think he probably had some notion of how his life was going to go. He was out there in the wilderness herding sheep, or whatever it was, and eventually he would settle down and have a family and prosper as he might under those conditions, and he’d try to get what he could out of it.
S: He had a schedule for his life. He had a vision of what it was he thought he was going to be doing with his life, and it did not include hauling out a bunch of rowdy people from a fairly substantial working situation in which they were a bit over-pressured and a bit over-worked, but indeed they were following with their own lifestyle. It just didn’t include leading the Children of Israel to the Promised Land. In his head was not, Oh, when I grow up, you know what I’m going to do? I’m going to fight the Pharaoh. I’m going to go up against normal-thinking, popular opinion. I’m going to have my own personal epiphanies, and I’m going to put that on masses of people and change the world as we know it.
It never ends, does it? It never ends. Aye.
Well, and his people were in a really impossible situation. They were slaves. And so for him to lead them out meant a really radical change in their thinking.
S: Well, let’s talk about that for a moment. They were slaves. Now, if you think back to that particular time in history, to be a slave was probably not quite as degrading a thought as you make it now. Why would that be?
Because the slaves were actually treated pretty well when they lived in the king’s palace and such.
S: Because the slaves were oft-times treated very well, particularly when they lived in some of the higher or richer echelons of society, perhaps in a palace or so. That’s true. That is true.
Well, there were a lot of them, and they ran everything, so they were very depended upon.
S: Very good. They were very needed, as they worked in all manner of society. That’s very true. Very good. Yes.
They were more of a class of people . . .
S: Yes.
. . . than we think of it, and they were respected in a way that we don’t think of, and maybe our own history of slavery does not give that example.
S: I would definitely say that was true. Because those who were slaves had not so distantly been the masters, and those who were masters could very likely, without a whole lot of shock soon be slaves, because the nature of that society was built on a different premise than the one yours now is in. That does not mean they were not slaves. It does not mean they were not bound. But, beloved ones, aren’t you?
Without even going in that direction of a message, if you had on a very wise and understanding view of the working of all things, and you looked back on American society in this day and age, would you not say, Good grief, they’re a bunch of slaves, aren’t they? Slaves to what?
Capitalism.
S: Capitalism. Absolutely. Absolutely. Anybody want to be more specific than that larger category?
Slaves to making a living.
S: Slaves to their job. Sure.
Keeping stuff in our lives.
S: Slaves to their stuff. Yes. Working to provide the upkeep for your things. Yes. Aye.
Slaves really, some were, before they came here slaves to the monarchy, I mean, literally to all that entailed.
S: Literally, to the government. And, of course, I am still talking right now. Are there still those who are slaves to the government.
Yes.
S: In what way?
Taxes.
S: That works. All right.
Slaves to the social norms that keep us accepted and safe.
Expectation.
S: To the social norms that keep you safe and acceptable. Slaves to your own expectations, your own beliefs. Sure. You can fairly well fill in a blank with several areas of your life that if you allow yourself the mountaintop view, you could say, Yes, I see how people could look at this society and see that there were slaves. So don’t get yourself caught in that part of the story I’m telling, but do let yourself realize, as Paula was pointing out, that when Moses was going before his people to say, “Let’s get out of here,” he was saying to them, “I want you to leave this life you have and everything you know.” And I want you to relate yourself to that for those few moments.
And what did they say to him? “All right! Lets go. Go Moses!”
No.
S: No?
No.
S: What is it they said?
Are you nuts?
S: Right. What are you? Nuts? You trying to get us killed? You want me to leave the known for the unknown? You want me to go in the desert? I don’t think so. That’s quite a job, wouldn’t you say?
He did not do it to the people though. Actually, if you allow yourself to be fully aware of the story, you will notice that he only told the people what they would do. Where he went to lay his case was to the Pharaoh. “Let them go. I want to lead them out of here.”
Now, as you know, because it’s not exactly the story I’m going with now, there are a lot of stories that can be gleaned from the interesting process of Moses learning to become a leader, and what it took, and how he did eventually, through an awful lot of difficulty and danger, and many very good experiences that brought about a lot of good wisdom, become a leader. But he was a warrior, and that’s what many people don’t realize about him.
He was too old, too uneducated in the ways of being a warrior, to be the kind that puts on the hardened breast plate and sharpens the sword, and goes out to conquer the enemy from next door. That’s not the sort of warrior he was. He was very much a warrior of the heart. And because of that, he was able to—if you will bear with me as I say it this way—steal the hearts by his ability to communicate a vision. And by doing that, those people who were happy or unhappy, but wanting to stay in their existence as they knew it, were willing to follow him into the desert, into the unknown, into a land flowing with milk and honey, without much more proof in their own lives that they would have what they need to get where they need to go, except that vision. He was a warrior of the heart because he led them with hope.
In this process, they eventually came to their land, and coming to that land there was all sorts of exciting events that went about. And one of these events was a time in which the warriors, the actual warriors amongst the tribe, were ready to go into a war against a neighboring kingdom. You know how it is: once you get your little square plotted out, somebody’s going to come and plant that row.
Moses went and had a chat with God. “What should I do? This army’s bigger. These people aren’t fighters. They’re not warriors. We’re going to lose. You did promise, you know.” And God said something to the effect of, “Use your staff. Hold up that staff, and as long as you have that staff upheld, the Children of Israel will succeed.”
Here’s where it’s coming to the story. So, Moses went out and told the troops, and said, “I will be on this hill. I will hold up this staff. When you see this staff you will know that God is with you.”
By this time Moses is old. They trust him. But this is an old guy standing up there, and he’s saying, “I’m going to stand here and hold this stick, and as long as you see this stick, you’ll know you’re winning.” And you know they were saying to each other, “Guess it’s going to be a short battle.” But off they go to fight, and they could look up on that hill, and they could see Moses standing there with that stick upraised. And they fought, and they were winning. And as the day progressed, old Moses began to waver.
Well now, think about it, you’d have a hard time holding your hand above your head for five minutes, needless to say with a large staff in it. He began to waver, and he became weary. He became weary. And his son and another leader he had been mentoring saw what was happening, and they came to him and said, “Moses, let us hold up your arms.” And they back him up to a rock where he could rest and sit, and one on each side of him held up his arms so that those warriors would not give up the fight.
Now what’s that story about? It’s about you. It’s about you in a whole lot of ways, because, of course, you can relate to a lot of those pieces. You can relate to the enslaved Israelites, because you recognize in your own life there’s a certain amount of slaver that you have, be it a slavery to an illness of sorts, be it a slavery to your own mental processes, be it slavery to your credit cards, be it a slavery to what you eat. There are a lot of things out there that own you. And if you allow yourself to think about that, you’ll get a good sense this night of what some of those things are that own you. You can relate to those who are in bondage.
You can also relate to Moses, interestingly enough, because in your own life you’ve had times in which you’ve had to go up against the prevailing ruler, be it the ruler of your office or the ruler of your house or the ruler of the grocery store. You’ve had times in which you did not feel that you were necessarily the most eloquent, the most adept, but there was a need and you felt the call, and so you stepped forward.
You can relate as well, as your mind thinks about it, to the things that Moses must have gone through as he was learning to be the leader by on the job training. And you can relate to that because in your own life you constantly have on-the-job training. You can relate to it because you’re a leader in an area of your life, and maybe that area is right here at Phoenix where you are a leader because you have been touched by the vision. It is yours. And you can relate to having to step forward out of the ease of slavery and say, I am willing to seek something else for the higher good. There’s a lot of bravery in that. And you can relate as well because you’ve had people hold up your arms when you’ve needed it.
If you can relate to that, as if you weren’t expecting it, I will tell you you are rich. You are rich. You are rich right there because you have created a friendship, a bond, strong enough that somebody else can see a need and you can move back and let them in to help. The bond that is strong enough you may be thinking is you to them, heart to hear. That makes sense, doesn’t it? But that’s not it. The bond is to the vision you share. You have clearly lived the vision to the point that another trusts your work in it, and because of their connection to that vision says, Let me help. I’m here to hold up your arms. I see that you’re getting weary, and what is needed here is that staff to remain raised. I’ll hold you up.
That’s what volunteering is about. You don’t volunteer because you like washing dishes and setting tables, and therefore you want to be a part of Social. Right? You do it because you see how it fits in the greater vision. Here, Moses, let me help. I’ll hold up your elbow. Let me help, too. I’ll push this boulder over for you to sit on. And some of you do a lot of rock moving, don’t you?
How does it make you rich? In your life, there are so many ways in which you are paid. Ultimately, however, the only payment that makes any difference to you is the one that pays you in fulfillment. You will work ninety hours a week without even thinking twice about it, if what you get from doing it allows you to feel fulfilled. Now, what it is that brings you that fulfillment is going to say a whole lot, well, about you, and about what you’re doing to ensure you get that. But you do what you do for a very—some might say—selfish reason, ultimately, because it fulfills you. And if in your life you have not found that which fulfills you, I can guarantee that you constantly are seeking it. Let me try this. That’s not working. Let me try this. That’s not working. How about this? That’s not working.
Some people do that their whole life, seeking that hole to be filled in their hearts. Seeking fulfillment. You are rich when you are fulfilled. What fulfills you? And for those of you who have been around this work for a while, you know that I would tell you there is only one thing that fulfills you, but you’ve got to be careful in immediately jumping to that. Let me back up a little and tell you.
For those who are here to make a difference in the world, who are here because you know there is something you have to give, who are here because there’s something you can offer, and maybe you’re not exactly sure what that is. And your searching is to find out what that is, but that you know—and I say that because you know—if you are one of those, you have known it from your childhood. There’s more, something more. You’re very likely talented in a lot of different areas. Hopefully, one or two of them are useful. [Laughter] Those individuals seek fulfillment the most. And they don’t find it in the satisfaction of one husband or wife, two children, two cars, house in the suburbs, dog, cat and ferret. They don’t. They may not find it in the “you go to school for ten or twelve years and then you go for another four or five.” Yes? Something like that. And you go off into this career, and you’re going to make this money by the time you’re thirty, and . . . Maybe they tried it, but they did not find it fulfilling, because, for these, what fulfills is love.
The only riches that count is the fulfillment that comes from doing what you love, from giving love, from receiving love. Love. Be that ultimately the love of a common vision, or be that simply loving your fellow human. It’s love. And if you happen to be one of those souls who is still seeking that fulfillment, stop for a moment and ask yourself, What is it I’m seeking?
And if you look back on your life, and pay attention to all of the experiences that you consider good, take a look at it. What were the ingredients for that experience? Would you be able to say if love was involved in it? Teach yourself about what you’ve told you you need. Seek that.
Those individuals who are here on this planet, right now at this time of transition, to make a difference in the lives of all life force, take that one step further. The only thing there is that fulfills is to give that love, to give it. Not even so much to get it back; to give it.
Fulfilled by service. By service. For what is service but giving love? And that service might be stepping out in front of the people and saying, “There is a better place than this. Come and we will find it together.” Being a speaker that talks to others and excites them, and helps them move from complacency and slavery into the hope, for that’s all that ever moves anybody: hope, the hope of a new world, giving the riches of the heart and the mind into public consciousness, leading. Leaders pay out in hope. Leaders pay out in hope.
Perhaps your service is to remind the leader that it’s time to eat, and so you bring it potato wraps.
Potato burritos.
S: Potato burritos. Perhaps it’s to hold up a hand that’s getting weary. Not to wrestle the staff away, but to hold up the weary arms.
Perhaps in your world you see how you are a leader, how you are a helper that makes the way clear. The vehicle through which hope reaches others. Perhaps you are a part of the group that is moving through the desert together, helping one another just make it through. But when you are working together on a common vision, service is all that would count to you. What’s needed now to make work? What’s needed now for that next step? What’s needed now?
Imagine, if you will, that Moses is moving through the desert. He’s got a lot of really grumbly, unhappy Israelites behind him saying, I am so tired of this. Change, change, change all the time. All of these ego issues. Have you listened to the left wing back there? They’re just really irritated because of all the rocks under their feet, making their way unsteady. They just are really angry these days, and there I am, all I’m trying to do is pass out water for them and help them get along, and all they do is complain and complain and complain. I’m supposed to feed them. I’m supposed to make sure . . . and what do I get? I’ve got this light dragging me through the desert saying, Don’t worry, you’ll get the bread when you need it. You’ll get the honey when you want it. Sure, sure. I’ve got a bunch of complaining people and I’ve got this voice that talks to me. [Laughter] I know why you laugh. What sort of difference do you think it would have made in that oft-told story if Moses had had people like you helping him? Or is that the story I was just telling? [More laughter]
I want you to think about your commitment to live love in this world. When you choose to live love, and I promise you it does not matter if you accept my definition of what living love is about or not, it does not matter. If you choose to live your life to the best of your ability by your understanding of love, you choose to do the loving thing, you choose to be the loving one, you choose to live love. It’s not the words you say that make a difference in this world. It’s not. It’s not what you say you believe and the community that that provides you, because you all believe the same things. It’s not. The only thing that has ever made a lasting difference in this world is not words, it’s not the love part of that statement. It’s the living. It’s what you do.
If what you do is live love, then a whole different, very radically different, set of experiences comes to you. You draw to you like a magnet that which expresses love. And what I mean by that is when you have yourself in that mindset of living love, the very first symptom of it is you see beauty. What do I mean by that? You see beauty. Gwendolyn is beautiful, and you notice, Oh, Gwendlyn is so beautiful. Is that what I’m talking about? Well, she would like it to be, but no that’s not what I’m talking about. Tell me.
You see the perfection of the weave. You watch the adjustments, and you realize that it’s okay, it’s a self-regulating system. It’s going to be all right.
S: Well, one of the beauties you see is the beauty of a larger picture. You’re able to see a greater flow, a weave, the greater weave. And that’s very so.
You see the beauty in a sunset, that there you are, just stopped, facing it. From the middle of your busy day, Isn’t that beautiful! You see the beauty in those around you. And when I say the beauty in those around you, that includes such things as you don’t presume the worst, you presume the best, because for you to presume beauty that says what you are seeing is soul, the spirit essence of it. Your connection with Source allows you to experience as well as see the Source connection in all that is around you. Beauty. Awareness of beauty is the first symptom of living love.
Another symptom of living love, and it ranks right up there with beauty, is joyfulness. Joyfulness. And that joyfulness might not be giddy, laughing, hopping about, like your dog when you come home. Oh, hi! Feel good to see you! You don’t despair. You don’t see the least, the worst. You’re not pessimistic, down, unhappy, yet you are a realist, which is to say that in the midst of the chaos that the world, sure enough, will always give you, you’re still dancing.
You may not have the newest, the best, and yet you feel rich. And it’s not because of what you have; it’s because of what you are, and because you see beauty, you see the beauty of it in yourself. And because of that connection with Source that love establishes, you have a love for that which includes you, and that’s a very large part of the process as well. When you live love you accept and love yourself. Enough of constantly degrading yourself in the name of humility and putting yourself down to be one of the group. Change the group. You love yourself. You love those about you.
You give of yourself because you are not stuck in an impoverished thinking because you have a connections with the Source of all things, and love is the doorway that opens you to those riches. And love is the doorway that opens you to those riches. And it’s when you see those riches in your own life of magnificent bounty of this world, and this experience offers you, the door to the other riches begins to open as well, because it is so true that the Universe wants you to have what makes you happy. It is to your advantage. You’re a lot easier to deal with, and you’re a lot more willing to do what’s needed. But you’re the one that’s blocking the door, and you block that door by not living love, not seeing the richness that is within you and within your world, because you’re not living love to establish that doorway. You’re not fulfilled, so you’re constantly seeking filling, because you’re working on a system that says there is not enough. And you are frugal therefore with the love you have, and that draws tightwad people and tightwad situations, people and situations that keep the fear going. You’re not living love.
And the reason, to go back to my original statement about being rich by spending, is because you’re not spending your time, which is the only currency that counts. You’re not spending your time. Why is that the only currency that counts, by the way? Frank.
Because it relates to this dimension, it’s the thing that we have in this dimension that we don’t have in any other dimension.
S: All right. That’s true. That’s important. Stuart.
You can get money back, but you’re not going to get time back that you’ve invested in something.
S: Makes it rather priceless, doesn’t it?
They say love is abundant, but time is limited.
S: Well said. Steven.
Service requires choosing time. Doing requires time in this dimension.
S: Indeed. Indeed.
Because time is held in now as expressed in this dimension.
S: Yes.
And the now is what you have.
S: Good. Because in this world your self and your time are all you have to give. Everything else is window dressing. Those of you in your life who have had the fortune to go through a fortune or two—and there are actually those in this room who have done just that—you can perhaps relate to what I’m saying here. It’s not the money, is it? It’s not the stuff. You accumulate it. It eventually breaks down and goes away. The time that you put into it is what marks you to it.
Phoenix Institute is centered on a vision that this planet and all life force upon it have the ability to reach Sacred Status, which is to say, that point within the spiritual evolution in which all of life force has returned to Source. Now, that’s several years of teaching wound up in a rather poor sentence there, but by helping you learn what you truly are, it helps the world become what it truly is.
There are those here who have seen that work in their life, and as a result they give money to the organization. A lot of you in here do that. A lot of you that are seeing this video down the road do that. It helps a lot. It makes the light work. It fixes the air conditioner when it breaks down. You can’t live without it, but if this building were not here, the vision still would be. So it’s not the money that makes it happen.
Many of you out of the love of your heart and a desire to recognize others who are making this vision of love happen brought food tonight to say thank you. And the food will be eaten. Is your thank you gone?
No.
S: Because of the time you put into it. The only energy that you pay with is time. And your time must be balanced with your love or it’s not paying you back. Your time, what you give, must be a part of what you love or you’re not getting anything back. And when you’re not getting anything back, you’re not rich. You see? Give what you have to what you love. It makes you rich. And to become wealthy in it, rather than simply rich, the gift that Midas did not have—you remember that story? What was his problem? Everything he touched turned to gold. Well, now that sounds pretty wonderful, don’t you think? I always thought it was an amazing story. It just makes so much sense. If you could have anything, what would it be? Well, I want that everything I touch just turns to gold. But there’s a problem with it. And what was it? The moral of that story is, Ask for wisdom, wisdom to do the best you can with what you have, so that you’re not trying to digest golden apples and rock-hard grain.
If you want to be really wealthy, seek wisdom. Wisdom in your life comes from one thing, a commitment to a path. You do not get wisdom if you have no pattern. That’s how it works. Small incidences that relate to not much do not give you wisdom. It’s too bad too, because most people only give small bits. They do not commit. I will tell you, commitment is everything.
“Samuel, I have an open heart and I desire to live love.” You will be rich. You will. You will be rich. Good for you. And it will stop there, and it will not be fulfilling enough for you, because you want to go with that rich, the wisdom to know what to do next, to know how to use what you have, to know what the next step should be. And that wisdom only comes because you’ve given yourself more than twenty or thirty seconds on the path. And for every one of you who has committed to serve with your focus here at Phoenix, you have found that wonderful gift of wisdom coming your way. It comes your way in a very interesting package, doesn’t it? That package is, you learn to focus on the vision in spite of the distractions of all your stuff showing up. And the side-gift from that? You learn what all your stuff is, and you become strong by overcoming or you find yourself surrounded by those who are willing to hold up your arms while you learn to get strong.
That commitment to living love seems like a small step, but it has a ripple effect in all of your life. Where there is not hope, you will not commit. Where there is not a common vision, you will not commit. As long as you must do it your way, you will not commit, and in this 5:3:2 world everything that works out right in your life works out for one reason: because you have been surrounded with those who will hold up your arms when you are weary, who will help you because it does them good to do it.
On this night, all of you in this room in one way or another have said, My desire is to be the best I can be, and as a result you have built a life around finding out what the best you can be is, doing those things that might be an answer for it. Some people have taken another step from there. They’ve said, I choose to live love. I’m going to give where I’ve received in that. Moses, if you need me, I’m there for you. Yes, well, will you go talk to those people out on the left flank? They’re still griping.
You cannot do a work without those. The vehicle for the vision is the hands of those who are willing to give time. And then there are those who are willing to go one step farther. I want the fast road. I want to just jump in and get wet all at once. I not only want to be rich and see the beauty, I want to be wealthy and keep the production of beauty going. Moses, I’m here for you. Let me hold up your arms if you get weary. I will keep the vision going. They have said, I’m here as a part of this vision. I will give everything I have to make it work.
Where are you in that? Why are you where you are? What do you need to do to bring fulfillment into your life? What have you been taking for currency? Have you been giving without receiving? Receiving without giving? Are you out of balance there and that keeps you too focused on yourself that you cannot get beyond your own stuff? You can be the straggler at the back of the heap; you can be the leader up front. The difference between the two is vision, commitment to the vision.
The program tonight is that Phoenix volunteers are out of this world. So much truer than you might think. You cannot say thank you to somebody who gives you their life. And I will tell you very truly that those here tonight who are being recognized as the committed and active volunteers have given you their lives. “Thank you” for what you do seems so small. Gratitude that what you are is peeking out behind the mask more often than keeping covered seems not enough.
Many of you give to this work in many, many ways, and I am so grateful. The very walls of the building reflect back to you the love that you have poured into it. You have done so much, and it’s not because the payment is so high. Many of you give your heart with your hands—and I do say thank you to you—to allow that this work is a part of your busy life says a lot. Thank you for that, because the energy that you give when you are here changes things. It adds to that community, that family, that this group is about. It’s what makes the place feel like love and happiness when you walk in. It’s what makes this place special. When somebody new walks in for the first time, almost always they say, It just felt so nice. Your love does that. Thank you for all you do to make that happen.
And within that larger group of people, there are those whom I’ve referred to several times this night who right now are on a pathway of very definite commitment, who have given very specific time, and time, and time, who have come forward and said, I’ll lead them out, who have chosen the leader’s path. That path may have made them a member of a committee or a task force here, and that involves a lot of time. It may have made them the head of a committee or a task force here, and that involves that much more. If giving provides the mortar, the stability is from the commitment.
[Picks up item from bowl in front of him] This . . . do you see it? Do you see what it is? It’s a small star filled with fairy dust. What it is is a token, a reminder. That’s all it is. It’s a reminder that you have chosen the starlit pathway. What you are about is beyond the stuff of earth, it’s beyond the rocks in the sand and the grit in the food one more time. It’s beyond “But it’s raining out”; it’s beyond “It’s so hot.” You put your eyes on the stars and you keep going, no matter what. You have said, What I’m about is not limited by the stuff that goes on around me. I choose to remember the stars that sang at my birth. I choose to remember that I am more than just this. And I choose to give back, because of it.
I’d like for you to think of the fairy dust as hope. Hope. Hope, because it is what you give me. Hope for the world, because you are someone committed to a vision of this world functioning at its highest ability. It’s hope. It’s magic. It’s the miracle you are. And, in a sense, you might also say that it is magic encased in form, which is how I see you. The giving that you do makes it easy to see the magic.
For those of you who are wearing one of those special tags—is there a particular system we want to use to give this away, or shall I just say come up? Come up. Let me give you. [Members of the committees and task forces go to Samuel.] It would be lovely, perhaps just for a moment, for all of you who are wearing one of those tags come up here and when you take your hope in the boundaries, your memory of the stars that you are, say your name. All right. [Members of the committees and task forces come up to receive thanks for their service and their gift from Samuel.]
I want you to know that there are those of you who are very committed, and certainly very active, and you’re not getting one of these little dangly, because it’s not that you don’t deserve it, it’s only that the commitment that you’re offering isn’t one that is quite so obvious, perhaps. And when it comes to thanking those who are making this work work, I like the obvious. That’s what is really needed. But I do want you to know I see what you do, and how much you give—how much you give. You’re not left out, because I’ll probably get you next time around.
Every one of you is a gift to this world, and I would wish for you that you would know that.
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