In the feature story, Rosenthal writes: "This weekend, I helped launch a new PAIRS six-week class at a local church in South Florida. As I waited for the group to come together, I had the chance to reflect on the unique journey that had me waking early on a Saturday morning and taking my public transportation back and forth to a city nearly an hour ride from my downtown Fort Lauderdale apartment.

"It's been nearly five years since I met Seth Eisenberg, PAIRS CEO and Project Director for the federal grant initiative that's bringing relationship skills classes to thousands across the country. Although he lives in my county, I discovered Seth from listening to him on an NPR radio show talking about his volunteer work with homeless children living on the streets of Fort Lauderdale. I called during the show, met Seth in person some weeks later when I arrived at a volunteer meeting ready to help his group, and have worked with him on a variety of projects that have helped improve the lives of many people.

"In some ways Seth is an unusual person. For instance he is making a profound difference in the world. He's certainly made a difference in my life and helped me touch the lives of so many others. In other ways he is a regular kind of guy. I guess this perception can happen once you call a friend a friend. To me he's not the kind of person you'd expect to be leading one of the country's most respected marriage education programs. In getting to know him, I've learned much about what it takes to make a difference in the world and how all of our lives are about how each of us deals with the adversities and challenges life throws our way.

"Seth is the third generation in his family to be divorced. At first, that might seem strange for someone leading a marriage education group, but deeper understanding shows just the opposite. His own life experiences fuel a level of passion to help children and families that could never be purchased for any salary or job description. The void in his own life from growing up without a father and intact family undoubtedly helped him become a devoted, active father for his own sons that could serve as a model for any family. From coaching their sports teams to volunteering in their schools and making sure he's there for them every day, I've seen firsthand how disappointments were transformed into a powerful commitment to make things different for his sons and many others.

"I've seen the same determination in Seth's dedication to the thousands of people who participate in PAIRS classes, made available for free in large measure due to the grant project he envisioned, wrote, and won approval for last year from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I've often wondered if Seth hadn't experienced the pain of divorce and family breakdown in his own life if he would have had the passion and commitment to make a difference for so many others. If he hadn't seen personally what it's like to grow up without a father present, would he be so dedicated to helping millions of others have lives in which fathers are regularly present in the lives of their sons and daughters? If he hadn't personally experienced the pain, disappointment and heartache of a broken marriage, could he have otherwise found the empathy, compassion, and daily inspiration to help others learn what it takes to succeed in relationships long before they make a decision to tie, or untie, the knot with another person? I don't think so. Just the opposite, in fact. I'd say that it's precisely Seth's own life experiences and the meaningful decisions he made as a result of those decisions that's allowed him to profoundly impact so many others.

"Many times, I've thought about my disability and the impact it has had on my own life. Each time, I've realized that it's not what happened to me that determined the course of my life; it's how I reacted. Even though I lost my sight years ago, that didn't stop me from becoming a social worker, community activist, publisher of an internationally-circulated magazine, educator and more. Actually, when I look at the lives of so many others who never had the chance to experience such adversity and challenge, I sometimes feel fortunate because I realize how much fuller and more meaningful my life is because of the obstacles I've had to overcome.

"Knowing Seth has confirmed much that proved true to my life. I've seen him overcome the heartbreaking loss of his marriage, bankruptcy (as a result of personally guaranteeing business loans), and even once being arrested and dragged through the Courts on a bogus charge because he stood up to a local car company and threatened to expose their misdeeds not realizing they had the political muscle to shut him up unless he promised not to tell what he knew about their lacking ethics. So many of those experiences would have led others to solitude and retreat, leaving behind any commitment to a life of service and contribution. But just as my blindness left me even more determined to live a life that matters, I've seen Seth respond with equal vision and dedication to his own challenges.

"I left the PAIRS class today and headed home knowing I was making a difference. For the nearly 35 people who attended, like so many others, they might never fully know what others had to go through in their lives so that each of them could have more love, happiness and success in their own. I wondered if the children of these participants would ever know of the dedication and sacrifices made by others in order to contribute to stability, safety and love for them through service to their parents. I wondered too if this is all by chance, the challenges and obstacles we are forced to overcome, or is there some grand design to it all.

"Having my particular box seat in life leaves me more convinced then ever that it is by embracing the adversities we face with a commitment to learning, growing, and remaining unstoppable in our own lives that we fulfill our truest purpose in life. It is this legacy that we should be focusing on from our politicians, tycoons, media stars, and especially from those we call our friends from across town."

PartyLine Publisher Sanford Rosenthal is a social worker, community activist and chairman of the National Writers Union's At-Large Disabilities Task Force. This feature will appear in its entirety in the upcoming edition of PartyLine.