Paul Newman

Thanks to actor and friend Dudley Stone for sending the following:

Some wise words from Paul Newman, included in his NY Times obituary, quoted by the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, Katherine Jefferts Schori, in her 2008 Hobart Lecture.

"We are such spendthrifts with our lives. The trick of living is to slip on and off the planet with the least fuss you can muster. I'm not running for sainthood. I just happen to think that in life we need to be a little like the farmer, who puts back into the soil what he takes out."

This great actor put so much back and we all benefited. RIP.

You're right, Dudley. He was an example to us all. He did give back in a large way, but I've learned through the years that actors are extremely giving people, at least the ones who do theatre and who are the ones I mostly know. They are regularly asked to perform for free to help some group. I don't know of any other profession than the performing arts where people are approached by total strangers to come and use their gifts for free.