If the answer is "no" you should move on, because we all know I am going to write it anyway!
A lot of you know that I just returned from a short cruise! A much needed vacation! While many of you know that I like the frozen margaritas with EXtra salt(don't tell Sandy), and the casino, you may not know that I also love the art auctions! While on this last cruise I was fortunate enough to collect my third work by the great Peter Max!
Peter Max is the most important and prolific artist living today! I am sure that many of you know of his work, and the rest of you have seen it, and just did not know it was his! I encourage you to look him up! He is an awesome human being! Among other things he teamed with Lee Iacocca to raise funds to restore the Statue of Liberty! He also did portraits of all the first responders killed on 9/11, and gave them to their families! He is a large supporter of more than 1400 different charities! I could go on, and on! I have had the pleasure of meeting this great man, and he did not disappoint in any way! He is a treasure to this, his adopted country!
Many years ago on a cold and rainy night, in New York, Max observed Pablo Picasso and a companion leaving an establishment. Picasso was huddled, with his collar up, against the cold, and wet. The companion held an umbrella over him! As they walked away from Max, he realized that the man with the unbrella was a man of action! He was protecting the great Picasso from the rain! From that thought, Umbrella Man was born! Over the years Max has done many versions of Umbrella Man! I am now the proud owner of one of them!
The point I am headed for, is this! In our daily efforts to remain Smoke Free we often forge forward through the rain of trials and emotions! We turn up our collars and struggle through, with whatever resources we have! Sometimes we need the extra support, and encouragement of our Friends here in this community! Here we finds so many people of action, who help protect our quits! Our own Umbrella Men and Women! I would like to take a moment here to thank all of you who spend so much of your lives holding the umbrella for others! I want to send out a big THANK YOU for all that you do to protect the quits here! You are indeed a treasure as well!
Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Umbrella Man! Tommy
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