We are:
Women and men
Black and white and all shades in between
We are straight and gay
We are Christians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, agnostics, and I hope a few
atheists, it keeps us all growing
We are from all over the world
We are New Yorkers one and all by birth or adoption

We are family caregivers
We are big business, government, and non-profits
We are researchers and center leaders
We are formal caregivers and family caregivers
And we are learning to talk to one another
We are finding a common language and moving the dialogue forward
In the year ahead we are planning to add just such a communication-
dialogue committee.

We are about seniors caring for seniors
We are about seniors raising grandchildren
We are about children caregivers
We are about gays and lesbians facing end of life issues in the middle of life
We are about people with chronic conditions
We are family caregivers and we care

We are rich
We are poor
But we are all extremely wealthy with love, caring and compassion
We are channels for one another and for others
We are channels of goodness and love

We are not going through life
We are growing through life
We are not human beings trying to have a spiritual experience
We are spiritual beings having a human experience
And we are sharing the caring.

To each of you I say thank you, thank you, thank you.

Reverend Gregory L. Johnson
Co-chair NYCFCC
Nov. 13, 2007