letter to Coast News editor from a person who read the story and sent me a letter

I wanted to add the following as a prelude to the letter just submitted but accidently hit the Send button prematurely. I wanted to acknowledge that the word count is not quite the 500 words that you may or may not choose to enforce for this particular cause, because of the unquestionable merits of giving the plight of Summer Autio the maximum exposure to your readers, which will increase the bottom-line goal of contributions before it is too late. Personally, I can't remember a cause that touched me more than this one does. I could easily pad my letter to get it up to 500 words but the standards I have to work to after more than 50 years of living to them professionally will not allow that. The reason I would like to see my letter run as Community Commentary should be obvious: the far greater visibilility of Community Commentaries compared to just a letter from the editor. But that, of course, is entirely up to you. I (and I know Summer) appreciate what you did in running the story that you did a couple of weeks ago. In a very real sense, that and therefore you, could very well deserve the initiating credit for saving her life!

Your heart-tugging story about the plight of Summer Autio, "Local yoga teacher gets support in cancer battle" (date), was a notable service not only to the lady but, projecting my own perceptions, to all of your readers.

I read the story not knowing the lady or anything about her, but after I did her many years of inspiring others, her present plight and the accompanying photo of her beaming face haunted me until it occurred to me why I couldn't get her out of my mind. Yet I'll never know why it took two days for me to realize what I had to do, which was to make a contribution to the fund that has been set up expressly for Summer Autio.

Having done so, I'm finding that it wasn't enough. I must do whatever more I can, starting with this letter so that hopefully hundreds more like me will do all that they can do, and that Coast News will do follow-up stories on a continuing basis until one of the most inspiring and resultful stories ever chronicled in its pages has the happy ending that it more than deserves to have.

I salute you for bringing the story of Summer Autio to the attention of the community, but most of all I salute Summer Autio for all that she has done for so many and especially for what she is continuing to do with undiminished passion and enthusiasm despite the extreme difficulty of her present situation, which is more than physical because the bills are mounting to staggering and ever-greater proportions by the day.

The aptly named Summer has been inspiring thousands of appreciative others to be all that they can be for more than 20 years, but I submit that it is now  our turn, regardless of whether we ever knew her or even heard of her, to be the best that we can be.

By making a tax deductible contribution to the Soul of Yoga Foundation, 627 Encinitas Blvd., Encinitas, CA 92024. Your readers can also call (760) 943-7685 for info or e-mail info@soulofyoga.com. Or they can e-mail Summer direct by visiting her informative website at www.theinnerhouse.us.

From my own experience I can assure everyone reading this: it will be one of the most rewarding investments you ever made, if not the most.

Carpe diem!

Jim Donovan
Del Mar