You could say I met JR before I met JR. Back in the fall of 1971, I was 16, and I sang in a community choir led by Suzie. My friend Steve and I used to hang around Suzie’s house in Manhattan Beach CA. As a friend of Pauli’s, Suzie had met JR, and she would leave her MSIA publications, including Discourses, around her house. Steve and I would read them (not knowing at the time that it wasn’t exactly kosher to share Discourses).

Finally, in January 1972, I went to my first live seminar. It was in the San Fernando Valley, in the rec room of an apartment complex. I can’t recall if I went up to meet JR face-to-face that night. But I did schedule something called a “Light Reading” with him, taking the first available opening the following January.

During that summer of 1972, it was JR’s Rosemead house that Steve and I hung around at, swimming in JR’s pool and playing with Pookie and Dude (the poodles–not sure if I’ve got the names right).

The Light Reading was amazing, as have so many other JR experiences these 42 years since. He’s been a blessing in my life, and I’m so grateful to have met him.