I wrote a note in response to someone who emailed me after I made a small contribution to a GoFundMe campaign for his brother’s (Dave Carpenter) cancer treatment medical expenses.

I wrote to him about a friend of mine who I was lucky enough to play guitar with a couple of times. Tim Murphy is probably someone he knew, being involved with the music scene, as he and his brother are. But I thought it interesting how in this brief note to someone I’ve never met, I managed to spit out my life’s mission statement or elevator pitch in one shot in about 30 words. I hope you know your mission, or find it, or discover it, or bump into it one day and are able to work toward accomplishing it, some way, somehow, some day. For those who are interested, it went something like this …

… I forget where I met Tim Murphy, but you probably know who he is, or was. … He was a bass player who died of cancer. Didn’t have insurance I don’t think til maybe the end when I gathered someone gave him a mercy job with benefits. But I might have that wrong. I have benefits currently, but haven’t always. I’ve had my ups and down health-wise, but not yet cancer. I’m a former smoker for about 30 years and have been quit since 2009, so fingers crossed. But it’s epidemic and they keep spewing crap into the atmosphere and into our waters like they don’t breathe the same air or drink the same water. It’s the leaders I think who are really behind it and could stop it if they had the balls to, but there are so many deep pockets controlling them that they never, or rarely do. It’s my life’s mission to put an end to the corruption that is destroying this planet and the health of those trying to eke out a life on it while we have the opportunity. I made that donation and thought, Who do I think I am? I’m a penny philanthropist. But every little bit helps, and like I said, I do believe what goes around … If I see you at a music event and know it’s you I’ll say Hi. Best to you and yours and family always. peace, -c-