It was September 12, the day after the horrific events in New York. My mind was still reeling from the scenes of planes crashing, buildings collapsing, people covered with ashes running for safety through clouds of thick smoke. My heart felt heavy. My soul felt burdened. My
body felt numb. Suddenly there was knock at my door. At the door was John, the graphic designer who had accepted the artistic challenge of creating an image for the cover of AMITOMAKE. He handed me a long, rectangular paper bag with a copy of the cover art inside. I slowly pulled out a thick, white sheet, turned it over and saw the cover image for the first time. A moment that seemed eternity passed. In an instant I had become that child on the cover. I was the abandoned, neglected, or abused child lovingly and tenderly holding the world, and looking down as if trying to find a place to belong. I was the orphaned, the hungry, the homeless child needing love, food, shelter. And then I felt a deep sense of peace and inner strength when I realized that I was also that child on the cover who was being nurtured by Mother Earth and supported and protected by the hands of a Divine Source. And then, as if waking up from a deep trance, I slowly looked up at John.

“Do you like it?” he asked.

“I am deeply moved,” I answered, “I am speechless. This is awesome,”

“Dude,” said John, “You deserve it. You’ve worked very hard for this. You deserve it.”

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