May 112013
 
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Letter from a Mother to Daughter: "My dear girl, the day you see I’m getting old, I ask you to please be patient, but most of all, try to understand what I’m going through. If when we talk, I repeat the same thing a thousand times, don’t interrupt to say: “You said the same thing a minute ago”... Just listen, please. Try to remember the times when you were little and I would read the same story night after night until you would fall asleep. (read the rest here, it's a tearjerker!)

 “My dear girl, the day you see I’m getting old, I ask you to please be patient, but most of all, try to understand what I’m going through. If when we talk, I repeat the same thing a thousand times, don’t interrupt to say: “You said the same thing a minute ago”… Just listen, please. Try to remember the times when you were little and I would read the same story night after night until you would fall asleep. When I don’t want to take a bath, don’t be mad and don’t embarrass me. Remember when I had to run after you making excuses and trying to get you to take a shower when you were just a girl? When you see how ignorant I am when it comes to new technology, give me the time to learn and don’t look at me that way… remember, honey, I patiently taught you how to do many things like eating appropriately, getting dressed, combing your hair and dealing with life’s issues every day… the day you see I’m getting old, I ask you to please be patient, but most of all, try to understand what I’m going through. If I ocasionally lose track of what we’re talking about, give me the time to remember, and if I can’t, don’t be nervous, impatient or arrogant. Just know in your heart that the most important thing for me is to be with you. And when my old, tired legs don’t let me move as quickly as before, give me your hand the same way that I offered mine to you when you first walked. When those days come, don’t feel sad… just be with me, and understand me while I get to the end of my life with love. I’ll cherish and thank you for the gift of time and joy we shared. With a big smile and the huge love I’ve always had for you, I just want to say, I love you… my darling daughter.”

This is a repost from Spring in the Air and also from Jen Hunter, Google +.

Apr 032013
 
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Never underestimate the power of love!
Get out your tissues. This is probably one of the most inspiring stories I’ve ever come across. Continue reading »

Mar 152013
 
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Bo and Mom on rock 2 (2)

Me and my son Bo, 2000

I lost my oldest son, Bo, at the ripe age of 22, just nine years ago. At first I went into total denial. I kept telling myself he was away at college and soon he would be coming home. I buried myself in my work, stacked heavy blocks on top of my emotions and moved like a robot through my days. I was afraid to stop moving because I knew the blocks would tumble and reality would set in, which it did. And on those occasions, I cried the guttural sounds of sorrow and pain, like a mama cow does when she’s separated from her calf. Yet, it was in those moments that I could feel my son’s arms around me. I felt as if he was saying, “It’s okay, Mom. It was my time to go. Please don’t be sad. I love you. You need to get on with your life.” Continue reading »

Aug 282012
 
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What an outstanding, informative Joy Radio interview  with April Eberhardt and Brandy Rivers today. Interested in self-publishing or taking your book to film?  I suggest you grab a pad of paper and pen, then click on the link and listen to the show.

Visit  Words & Music  to sign up for the writers’ conference and have your work critiqued by these two amazing women, or a host of other editors and agents.

April Eberhardt Literary  specializes in high-quality women’s fiction. After 25 years as a corporate strategist and consultant, Eberhardt joined the literary world as head reader for Zoetrope: All-Story, a literary magazine, followed by five years as an agent with two San Francisco-based literary agencies. She holds an MBA from Boston University in Marketing and Finance, a BA from Hamilton (Kirkland) College in Anthropology and French, and a CPLF degree from the University of Paris. She divides her time between San Francisco, New York and Paris.

Brandy River is currently a literary manager/producer working in both film and television at Gersh Agency. In that capacity, she is responsible for representing authors, screenwriters, and directors as well as developing underlying material including novels, articles, blogs, video games and life rights for production.

Aug 272012
 
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April Eberhardt

JOY RADIO is featuring a series about a great resource for writers, Words & Music, A Literary Feast in New Orleans. For a glimpse of this festival, dedicated to good writing, coming up November 28-December 2, tune in August 28 at 11:00 a. m. EDT, to hear April Eberhardt—April Eberhardt Literary,  whose special expertise is new era publishing with Brandy Rivers—Gersh Agency, in both film and television, discuss issues such as How a book-to-film/TV deal comes about? How to lead a writer through the complex maze of making a success out of their literary fiction? And why developed writers should register for the Words & Music festival. April Eberhardt Literary specializes in high-quality women’s fiction. Brandy Rivers is a literary manager/producer in both film and television.

Visit Words & Music  or e-mail Faulkhouse@aol.com to learn more about the conference and to sign up today.

April Eberhardt Literary specializes in high-quality women’s fiction. After 25 years as a corporate strategist and consultant, Eberhardt joined the literary world as head reader for Zoetrope: All-Story, a literary magazine, followed by five years as an agent with two San Francisco-based literary agencies. She holds an MBA from Boston University in Marketing and Finance, a BA from Hamilton (Kirkland) College in Anthropology and French, and a CPLF degree from the University of Paris. She divides her time between San Francisco, New York and Paris.

Brandy Rivers is currently a literary manager/producer working in both film and television at Gersh Agency. In that capacity, she is responsible for representing authors, screenwriters, and directors as well as developing underlying material including novels, articles, blogs, video games and life rights for production.

Future Joy Radio shows on Words & Music: Carole Desanti, Penguin editor and author of The Unruly Passions of Eugénie R., Deborah Grosvenor, Grosvenor Literary Agency, both fiction experts; Webster and Ginny Younce, editors at Simon & Schuster and Penguin, respectively.

To listen to Words & Music archived shows visit Joy Radio’s guest calendar.

Jul 042012
 
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Miss you Pop!

I can’t help but wonder how you’re spending your birthday in heaven. Are you sitting with your buds telling war stories? Hopefully, they are listening better than your daughters did on that hot muggy summer afternoon in Florida, years ago!

Remember that day, Dad? Your five ‘little girls,’ as you loved to call us, gathered in a circle around you with our chins cupped in our sweaty palms… our eyes glued to yours. You pressed the record button on the taping device, cleared your throat and began. Seconds into your story one of us asked a question. You answered graciously. But as you proceeded, there was one interruption after another and your patience finally wore thin. You shook your head, leaned forward in your chair and hit the ‘stop’ button, reluctantly. You never did get to finish your story, did you, Pop?

Well, here’s hoping that today, the 4th of July, your birthday… you finally find a captive audience to listen to your  complete war story, uninterrupted!

Holding the memories of all our yesterdays close to my heart.

Happy birthday to one hell of a firecracker!

Always and forever,
Your little girl…
Pattie

Dec 122011
 
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OMG.. just received an email notification from International Brain Injury Association – 9th World Congress on Brain Injury that my abstract for my son’s head injury was accepted as a poster presentation in Edinbugh, Scotland – March 2012.
Sep 102011
 
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by Molly McBride, Kevin and Sarah McBride, Erin McBride, and Christopher McBride

 

 

 

 


I believe we have many “earth angels”, but I can easily count two – my Mom and Dad. However, since it’s my Mom’s birthday in a few days, I’m going to speak about her…

My mom has always said that while we’re in Heaven, before we are born, we’re consciously looking for the parents and siblings we want, and that’s how we end up with the families that we’re in.  Well, if that’s true, then I know my siblings and I count ourselves as EXTREMELY LUCKY!

Our mom has always been there for us…  Over the years, she’s made sure that our clothes were always ironed, we had a cheering section at every sporting event, made every birthday cake by scratch, displayed our presents on Christmas morning in the way that makes you feel as if it’s the most beautiful place on earth, ensured we all attended Catholic school (regardless of how difficult it was financially) and above all, she made us feel as if we had the most loving, support system any child could have. And all she said she’s ever wanted for us is to be happy!  On her birthday, I hope she knows how much she means to us and how much we love her for being our mom, our cheerleader, our friend and our “earth angel” all these years.

I love ya lots, Mom!  Molly Continue reading »

Aug 272011
 
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Written by: Kate Daly

My name is Kate Daly and I was the Admission Director at a place called St. Christopher’s Inn in Garrison, New York. It is a drug and alcohol rehab and a homeless shelter for men. I worked there for 13 years and over those years I have heard and seen wonderful acts of kindness, synchronicity and yes, downright acts of the angels. This is one of my favorite stories.

A young man arrived for admission and I went out to greet him. He looked dazed and somewhat overwhelmed, but this was not all that unusual on the first day at the rehab. I was prompted however to ask him if he was ok.

“I’m ok,” he said. “But you won’t believe how I got here!” Continue reading »