You really wouldn't believe how many people, no, Americans own buddha statues.

These are regular people. With normal, familiar names. Buying buddhas for themselves and for friends, all year and even more so at Christmas.

So far so good earning a living selling them. It's not a business concept I would have ever thought prosperous. It happened by accident.

Aaron (BTW, I decided to improve my attitude in order to use family's real names) bought a large amount of incense for personal use, in 2003. He just wondered what would happen if he bundled it into smaller packs and put his graphic design expertise to work selling it back on eBay (he is a graphic designer and web developer and I have no clue how to add a hyperlink).

Well it worked. EBayers ate it up. Then he moved into prepackaged incense, Nag Champa stuff; and profitable statuary.

You people love the buddhas! This summer Aaron quit his full-time job, and yes that's left us crossing our fingers among the 42 million without health insurance. He's home daily, I am almost finished with school, and he'll play Mr. Mom by the end of next year as long as he's clean.

It's special, the role my husband and I play, supplying reminders of a philosophy that invites people of all faiths to play hide 'n seek with God.