Be a Part of My Project?
By Steve Beckow
Stephen only became a journalist later in life; he was born a comedian
I have to share something I was reminded of when reading Stephen’s letter. Make no mistake. At the end I encourage you to “be a part of my project” to assist Stephen and Anthony with their moving costs. But that doesn’t mean that I don’t mean what I say between here and there.
I was reminded about giving. I’ve told you many times how influential it was when my brother Paul and my sister-in-law Fran heard I’d arrived back in Vancouver and was broke. My first check from UBC was late in arriving.
I bawled that my fridge was empty. No sooner did they hear that than they came right over on a Sunday night with two very expensive bags of groceries. They bought these at the corner store – the only place open – and groceries were very expensive there. The kindness of these two souls just got in and their example has stayed with me ever since.
Stephen and Anthony (waving), as they hope to be again very soon!
Perhaps out of that – and out of a mutually-shared, tight financial upbringing – Paul and I developed a certain pattern of giving.
He’d call me up and in the course of the conversation he’d say he was buying his son a computer.
Because we’d been through tough financial times, no one needed to say, can you afford it? It was more or less understood that the participation of others would always be welcomed.
And I’d say to him, hey, I’d like to be part of that project. And I’d send him whatever I could spare.
It wasn’t “tell Simon it came from me.” It wasn’t about recognition. It was about banding together with Paul to make come true what, single-handedly, we might not be able to.
And we’d do this, hopscotch, throughout our lives.
Paul’s gone, but I still do that regularly with a few people. It’s tangible encouragement. It’s fun. My needs are few in any case.
I don’t lose a friend because I loaned them money and they never returned it. Everyone gets to pay it forward endlessly.
Anthony and Stephen visiting Steve at the modest place where GAoG was born.
So now I switch and leave that. Now my intention is to extend the invitation to you to be a part of my project. That project is to see that Stephen and Anthony, who have lived through the traumatic loss of their home and many possessions and found a remarkable new place, have the means to move themselves from the scene of chaos to what seems an almost idyllic setting.
By equally-remarkable circumstances (namely, Y O U and a home owner desperate to sell), they were able to afford what they call a “tiny home.” I invite you to join me in going the rest of the way to help them move their belongings and get settled in. Why? Because it brings love up from the heart. And you don’t have to if you don’t want to. But it’s fun to share.
If you’ll join me, their Paypal handle is stephenandanthony. Thank you. That was fun!
