Enya

In the 90's someone introduced me to the New Age music of the Irish singer Enya and I fell in love with it. When I went for an MRI in February of '96 I took a CD with me as a friend suggested I do that as a way of drowning out the hammering noise of the machine (it sounds like a jackhammer in your ears). The radiology tech piped the music in, adjusted the volume to my satisfaction, and off we went. He liked the music so much he wrote down the info off the jacket.
Months later as I lay in the hospital following the removal of a tumor which the MRI had confirmed, a friend brought in a portable CD and Enya comforted me again. The CD went with me to the rehab hospital where I spent three months following the stroke that occurred after the removal of the (benign) tumor. Again the melodies soothed me off to sleep at night.
When I returned home from the hospital and clicked on "Play" to listen again, this time Enya's voice filled me with anxiety as it brought echoes of the stroke. In time my anxiety subsided and now I can listen again in peace and gratitude. Thank you Enya.

Tzu Chi

Most of what I have learned about Christianity since Sunday School has left me with the impression that this is the religion that cares - about other people and all of God's creation. In the United Church of Christ, my denomination, we aim especially to help especially those who suffer or are victims of injustice. While it is never stated as such, I have gotten the impression that "we" do this at the exclusion of much of the rest of Christendom. In fact,I don't recall being specifically informed about the benevolence of traditions other than my own. My eyes were opened the other night by a sign in a restaurant window that read, ".. To let go is actually to receive boundless happiness." - Tzu Chi Foundation. Wondering what this foundation was, I looked it up and discovered it is a spiritual organization devoted to relieving the suffering of Taiwan's impoverished East coast. You can read more about it here: http://www.tzuchi.org/global/about/index.html