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| << June15, 2007 - Hearts and Humor - Right From Wrong |
June26, 2007 - Hearts and Humor - In The Garden of Grief >> |
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Hi, Gang! I'm so sorry for not posting regularly. Work is really keeping me busy these days. It is keeping me from my loves - Ginny and my writing. I promise to have a great story for you this weekend. Tonight I bring you a story about a moment that moved my heart. My little grandson, Joshie, taught me a lot while he lived with me. This is one of those moments. Next week, for my mid-week post, I'll post another. This coming weekend, I have several ideas for stories. I won't give you a repeat. Mike If you enjoy a story, feel free to pass it on to your friends. I only ask that you leave the link at the bottom for them to join us. NOTE: IF YOU WISH TO STOP RECEIVING MY STORIES, PLEASE USE THE UNSUBSCRIBE LINK BELOW. PLEASE DO NOT MARK ME AS SPAM. MY STORIES ARE ONLY SENT TO THOSE WHO SUBSCRIBE TO MY EZINE. I Love your comments. Send them to: msmith4@nj.rr.com If anyone is interested in greeting cards, Ginny belongs to a group of artists. They've teamed together to market their products. Check them out at: http://www.etsygreetings.blogspot.com Ginny's cards and other crafts are at: http://www.ginginsgoodies.etsy.com Be sure to check out my collection of inspirational sites at the end. There's something for everyone. Now for today's story. Hoo Hoo Fraks My grandson Josh is a train freak. "Thomas The Train" is his favorite toy. He has several of the other toy engines featured on the show as well. In the weeks leading up to his fourth birthday, when I came home from work, he would meet me at the door and say, "PawPaw Mike? Thomas birthday." He was so excited, his speech impediment would become worse, and I would have trouble understanding him. For his birthday, I decided to take him on a train ride. The train I picked runs from Jersey City to Newark. It takes about forty minutes to make the trip in one direction. I chose this train, because, for the first part of the trip, you are underground, then the remainder of the trip is spent above ground. Even better, you can get in the front car and look out the window at the tracks, as you roll over them. Down in the subway, Josh saw the tracks. "'Fraks!', PawPaw Mike! 'Fraks'!" He would only take his eyes off the tracks when a train passed. We got on the front car of our train and walked to the front to stare out the window. I explained to the gentleman setting there, "This was my grandson Josh's birthday. He loves trains, and this ride is my birthday gift to him." The gentleman got up and let us have his seat by the front window. He could tell by the look on Josh's face, that he was excited and decided to give him the seat as a present. The train began to roll along. It made several stops underground, and then the part I was waiting for came. We blasted up out of the tunnel, and there in front of us were rows and rows of tracks and even a few trains parked on sidings. Josh began to screech with delight. "PawPaw Mike! 'Fraks'! Look at the 'fraks'!! PawPaw! Look at the 'fraks'!" Then he saw the parked trains, "PawPaw Mike! 'Hoohoo's'! Look! 'Hoohoo's.'" he squealed. My little grandson stood in that window and would not take his eyes off all the tracks and trains. It was one those moments when you cannot stop smiling. At Newark, we transferred to the returning train. Half way home, the train had to stop for a few minutes, until a train ahead had been switched to another rail. As we waited, the conductor of the train opened his door and saw Josh staring out the window. "Hey, little man! How are you?" he asked. I explained it was his birthday, his first time on a train, and that he was a big fan of trains. "Come here then, Josh! I'll show you something." He sat Josh in the conductor's seat and let him blow the horn. Josh got back in my lap, a grin splitting his face, as the train continued it's journey. At that moment I looked to the back of the car and saw a sea of smiling faces. Everyone was watching Josh and grinning. Children give such a beautiful gift - innocence. Josh was yelling and squealing about the "hoohoo's" and "fraks," without a clue as to how he was affecting the other passengers. It was impossible not to smile. They all watched this little train fanatic, enjoying his first ride on a train. His pure innocent love for this ride was a beautiful thing to witness. I have ridden that train many times and hardly ever saw a smiling face. People usually sit quietly, waiting to get to their destination. They read or stare straight ahead, ignoring their fellow travelers. Josh's unbridled joy made their trip special. Josh is only four, but I doubt he will ever forget his first train ride with his "PawPaw," and I doubt many of our companions that day will forget it either. Josh taught us all a lesson. If we could only see things through the eyes of a child, see them new and fresh every time, life would be more interesting. If I ever feel bored over the things I see everyday, I am going to think of "hoohoo's" and "fraks," and remember to see it through the eyes of a child. Michael T. Smith If you enjoy a story, feel free to pass it on to your friends. My only request is that you include the link for your friends to join our family. To join our family, go to: http://subs.zinester.com/86758/ As promised, here is a list of great inspirational sites. I subscribe to all of them. You will love these sites. Several people have emailed me and have thanked me for suggesting these sites to me. A good friend of mine has a new book out. You should check this out. Carol's been through rough times. She tells it all in her latest book. Carol Roach M.Ed, B.A. Publisher: Storytime Tapestry Author: Angels Watching Over Me:http://www.lulu.com/content/644485 Picking up the Pieces: A Woman's Journey: www.publishamerica.com To join Carol's story site, go to Storytime Tapestry at: http://archives.zinester.com/98907/ Here's a good one by Linda Della Donna Freelance Writer www.littleredmailbox.com www.griefcase.blogspot.com www.storybone.blogspot.com "...and sometime when I wasn't looking, I got a new life." By my good friend Keith in Australia: http://www.agiftofinspiration.com.au/ My friend Phil runs http://www.peoplestuff.com.au/ Phil's awesome and brutally honest Zev, yes another friend, runs http://empoweringmessages.com/stories/ Heart Catchers is a wonderful site. www.DianeDeanWhite.com www.Heartwarmers.com and www.petwarmers.com are two wonderful story sites. http://hodu.com/ http://www.mydailyinsights.com/ www.ripplemaker.com http://www.sermonillustrator.org http://www.SkyWriting.Net Here's a newly discovered one I like: http://www.archive.zinester.com/9516 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WarmFuzzyStories/ http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WithInSight/ If you, or anyone you know needs prayers for health concerns, struggles,etc visit www.janetperezeckles.com Janet's prayer group will respond. That's all I can think of right now. If I come up with more, I'll add them. Enjoy!!! I love your comments, Send them to msmith4@nj.rr.com. I'll include some in every post. Now for some comments on my last few stories: Hi Mike, I've been offline for a week because of computer problems (faulty, outdated DSL modem which has now been replaced). So, am behind on reading e-mails, but loved reading about the frozen peas again. It's such a touching story. Life is indeed fragile, especially when something traumatic has occurred. Hope you have a Happy Father's Day! Sincerely, Sandi in FL. P.S. Hi to Ginny :) ********************* Barbara, I pray it is O for me to post your comment to me. It holds amessage that many hate to admit they can relate to. It also holds a message that many cany learn from. Dear Michael, I fully understand about your story of your Father and your feelings about him...Sadly I too, had a Father who also drank all of his life and that is one of the most memorable memories that I have of him. I do not ever remember a happy childhood, nor of a fun teenage time...I can only remember that I wanted to marry and get away from my home situation as quickly as I could. And I did! Today, as I sit here reading of all of the wonderful stories of other people's Father's and how wonderful they were, I truly envy them, and wish with all my heart that I had had a good Father to have grown up with! I know my life would have been so different if I had had that guidance and support from a good and a caring Father! Even when my children were growing up, he did not even want much to do with them, but I would continue to bring them to see their 'Nanie' anyway, as I was not going to deprive her of her Grandchildren, just because he did not want to see them! Sadly, he finally came around, when his first Greatgrandson was born, just a month before he died of cancer. So many years were lost forever. And no memories do I have to hold onto today. I am so very thankful that my children DO have their memories of their Father to remember today, and every day! He is a good Father, and has always been! And though they live miles apart, they have their past memories to fall back on and keep locked in their hearts and minds forever! And when they do get together, they still have wonderful times and 'make memories together' that will continue to add to their past memories that have already accrued...So Happy Father's Day To All Father's Today...I hope that one day when I see my Father again, I can truly forgive him and love him as a real Father that I always wished he had been to me... Sincerly, Barbara To unsubscribe please go to: http://www.zinester.com/cgi/unsub.cgi?86758&0& To read more of myt stories, go to: http://archives.zinester.com/86758 |
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| << June15, 2007 - Hearts and Humor - Right From Wrong |
June26, 2007 - Hearts and Humor - In The Garden of Grief >> |
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