Your Opinion page is always of great interest to me.

The Rev. T. Richard Snyder’s op-ed, “Maine Voices: Let’s transform, not just fix justice system” (July 26), truly moved me. His thoughts, ideas and solutions were exactly how I feel.

We are all God’s children. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if each of us accepted each other as siblings – helping where we can instead of ignoring?

We are all equal. However, it is easier for some to succeed than others. Education is so vitally important. So many of our siblings (God’s children) are ignored and, as the Rev. Snyder says, are incarcerated instead of educated.

In my 25 years working in the soup kitchen serving people, sometimes just saying “hello” means so much to a client.

The satisfaction I receive, merely by saying “hello” and placing a dish of food before them, is overwhelmingly joyful to me. I have learned so much and enjoy my volunteer work to the extent my life is more accepting.

I am not a strongly religious person. However, I believe in God, our Creator, who gave us this Earth (the Garden of Eden) to care for and enjoy. What are we doing?

Ignoring it, polluting, fracking – all to make money to satisfy (it will never) our greed.

Then I think of Jesus, who accepted every individual regardless of race, gender, mistakes or choice of sustenance.

Let’s do our best to promote acceptance, healing, tolerance and education instead of confinement; to clean up our Garden of Eden; to conserve our natural resources (no more unnecessary use of water – forget the sprinklers for green lawns); to eliminate fossil fuels.

Help one another to the best of our ability. Listen and learn from intelligent and thoughtful people as the Rev. Snyder and Pope Francis.

There are many more. Listen to them and hear their message. We will all benefit from it.

Theresa Burke

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