This one is personal; since I run this blog, I think I'm entitled.

My first brush with the wonders of the internet came through fantasy sports and in particular my love of baseball. Eleven years ago eleven people I didn't know and I formed a rotisserie baseball league; five of the original twelve will draft tonight, and for the first time hear each other over a conference call. Until three years ago none of us had ever met, yet with one other owner I had exchanged Christmas cards and birthday greetings for years. When my son lost his mother (my ex-wife) while I was overseas on an assignment, that fellow sent some of the best advice and encouragement I received.

So last night I'm testing a chat area online for my friends and ask one of the newer owners how he was, he told me about a project he's undertaken to raise money for his niece to receive a new heart. There are many fathers who play fantasy sports, and many fathers who are bloggers, and I thought it would be nice to post this note here to ask for donations for Abbie. I've never met her or her uncle, but the bonds we create over the Internet seem pretty real when you look at her picture.

UPDATE (3:30pm): Just got an email from Willy that a donor heart has been found. Abbie is probably receiving it right now. It's a day of great blessings!