Can You Feel the Love?

My Dear Friends, A question that was repeated a few times over the course of my birthday weekend was, “Can you feel the love?” A person who couldn’t feel love after the avalanche of kindness, affirmation, encouragement, celebration and love directed towards me in the last 4 days would be a person totally lacking of even a semblance of emotional intelligence! I am awed, overwhelmed, stunned and glowing after being nuked with an atomic level love by you dear friends. My family outdid themselves as well, putting on a party that rivaled a wedding reception, complete with slide shows, “How well do you know Sam?” quizzes and enough food to feed a battalion! I was showered with gifts and greetings from friends, affection from my children, sons-in-law and grandson, special blessings and fellowship from Luz and inundated with love from everyone! Saying thank you seems so inadequate, yet thanks is what I offer to you dear friends who celebrated Five-O with me in a hugely positive and uplifting way. I ended some very brief remarks at the party by saying, “with friends like you, I may be an only child, but I certainly am not an orphan!” Thank you for being my brothers and sister at heart! I am blessed, rich and grateful! Now, I press on in faith, emboldened by more than a little help from my friends! Grace, mercy and peace to you all! Your Brother in Life, Sam