Storytime Tapestry Newsletter

The newsletter devoted to spreading love and cultural awareness around the world.

Feb 11, 2007

Today’s Announcements

The Valentines Contest starts tomorrow. I only hope Zinester has their delivery problems fixed by then.

We welcome Cecile Vargo as writer # 407 for Storytime Tapestry Newsletter. Please email her and welcome her to the fold.

Happy Birthday Dianna Cassady from your friends at Storytime Tapestry; BJ.Cassady@af-group.com

Prayers are needed for Jordan. This beautiful 2-year-old boy has contracted viral meningitis and is critically ill. Gone permanently are his vision and his hearing. His young parents in Texas

cannot touch him because he is in total isolation. He keeps getting more and more infections in his brain and other organs. They are nearly crazy because the little fellow cries for his mama and daddy. He can't hear them talking to him nor can he see them. He is alone and afraid in his total darkness and silence. The nurses who care for him are unfamiliar to him because he can't see or hear them. The prognosis is very, very poor for Jordan. If he lives, he will have significant brain damage, will be blind and deaf and likely paralyzed.

I don't know how to pray, but the immediate need is for him to recover enough so his parents can hold him and love him. He desperately needs this comfort and so do they.

If you can, please take just a minute to pray for this desperately ill child.

Love,

Mariane/Mom: mariane777@bellsouth.net

Today’s Stories

~**~**~

Choosing A Different Path

Tonia Goslett

There was a man in my life a long time ago who brought violence, disorder and chaos into my world. I was a 5 year old child, a rather naive and kindhearted creature who was completely unprepared to deal with the vast darkness that swirled around this man. He believed that he was a son of the devil, and he dallied with black magic and invoked malevolent forces to do his bidding. He also enjoyed tormenting and hurting those that were weaker than himself, and I was to become a favorite target. This was the man my mother chose to marry after my parents divorced. I do not understand why she chose this man, he was so very different from my father, but she did. For seven years I lived in a world that was ruled by fear, anxiety, pain and confusion. I witnessed extreme violence perpetrated against my mother and experienced his controlled forms of torture directed at myself.

When I was 12 my world changed. I went to live with my father and the unrelenting terror ended. I was damaged though, very damaged. When I was 14 my mother was hit by a car and killed. That was the last straw for me and I descended into a long period of depression and anguish. It would take many years and much running from myself before I was finally able to start the long healing journey back to the beauty of that innocent, loving and trusting 5 year old child.

That healing journey started with nature, with the one force in my life that had been constant and nurturing. Through everything I had always been able to find solace in the company of trees. Why trees, I do not know, but they became friends. I could feel a soft and gentle energy emanating from them, and whenever I could, I took refuge in their strong and supportive limbs. Gradually, as I entered adulthood, I immersed myself further and further into the realm of nature. I worked as a gardener and spent my days out in the elements amongst the plants and birds and little critters. The people I spent time with were nature lovers as well and their souls were gentle.

Over time, all the dark lesions on my soul were cleansed and excised. I began to slowly trust a select few humans, and they proved to me that goodness can be found in this world. I learned to make choices about the energy that I would allow around me, and found that I could carve out a life for myself that was filled with light and contentment. It has been quite the journey thus far, and in some ways it is only just beginning.

It is in the small and simple moments where I find the greatest joy. Moments that are filled with what is good about this world. I do believe in God, finally, and understand that I have not been asked to carry more than I was able to bear. The experiences I've known have made me a more accepting and loving person, and have given me the ability to offer love from a pure place.

Life is too short to live surrounded by disorder and negativity. Each one has the ability to make choices to bring hope and light to those around them. Why would anyone choose to do differently?

Tonia Goslett

GosCer@aol.com

~**~**~

Madman

Carolyn Koen

Several years ago, I went to visit my best friend Sharon, who lived across the street from the Mental Institution. I decided to walk to the convenient store to get some coffee and cokes, and maybe some munchies.

When I went in the store I headed straight to the cooler and got out a coke. A man walked up to me, grabbed my coke and flung it through the air. As he was doing this, he shouted, "THE DEVIL!" "THE DEVIL!"

I grabbed another coke out of the cooler, and he threw that one too, screaming even louder, "THE DEVIL!" "THE DEVIL!" I went to the cashier and told him, "This guy is bothering me." He yelled at the man, "Get out!" "I told you not to come in here again!" The man left, and I bought the cokes and some coffee.

I got back to Sharon's apartment complex, and started up the stairs. The next thing I knew, I was being punched in the back very hard. I halfway turned, and saw the guy from the store. I kept going up the stairs, and he kept punching me as he was screaming, "THE DEVIL!" "THE DEVIL!" I finally made it up the three flights of stairs, but when I got to the top, he grabbed me and started shaking the hell out me. Coffee was flying everywhere.

I ran to my friend's apartment and made it inside. He stood outside the door screaming while I told her what happened. She said, "Oh yeah, he does that all the time." "He lives at the Mental Institution, and they let him out on pass."

I couldn't believe it! How can they keep letting him out on pass, when he assaults everyone? It didn't make any sense to me. I consider myself to be a fairly compassionate person, but this guy could really hurt someone. In fact, my back has hurt ever since that happened.

A year ago, my Doctor told me that I have to give up caffeine. I thought about that guy and realized why he kept screaming, "THE DEVIL!." He was talking about the caffeine. That's why he threw my cokes.

Isn't it strange how the mind works? He probably knew that caffeine was bad for you, and in his mind that equated to caffeine is evil.

Carolyn Koen

mwilder39@yahoo.com

~**~**~

Panic Attacks
by
Cecile Page Vargo

If it is at all helpful to anyone, here are brief descriptions of my panic feelings experienced summer 1985 and how I personally learned to cope with them.

1. Dizziness - faintness
2. Tingling sensations in my hands and arms
3. Heart palpitations
4. Heavy breathing - hyperventilation
5. difficulty swallowing
6. Fear of being alone
7. Fear of new palces
8. Fear that something was seriously wrong with me
9. Headaches constantly
10. Constant worry about everything
11. Suicidal thoughts - combined with a fear of suicide
12. A sensation that my body did not exist - that I wasn't real
13. Facial twitching
14. Fear that something was disastrous was about to happen to me physically
15. Continaul pangs of fear
16. Fear of being a burden to others and spoiling their good times
17. Frustration of having to through all of this - why me - why is it suddenly hard to do what I had always been doing

I instinctively knew that relaxation techniques through self-hypnosis and/or meditation was good for me. Writing all of my thoughts down on paper to get out my fears and angers and frustrations and worries helped tremendously. I found that if I wrote out my feelings in the form of prayers to God, everything was ok. My faith is so strong that by giving Him my troubles and worries in writing I could stop worrying about things. Once things were safe in His hands, i knew everything would be fine. Stoppint worry relieved a great deal of the tension which was causing my problems. Even if something bad was to happen to me I could learn to accept it because it was God's will and in the end, God knows what is best for me.

Eating properly is important. Sugar, caffeine, alcohol, are all bad for nervous problems and depression. I eliminated foods and drinks with these elements in them, and I made sure I took proper vitamins. Rather than list what I took in 1985, check with your physician and up to date books on what is appropriate. L-tryptophan was a life saver for me, but is no longer available. Perhaps melatonin would be a good substitute today, but again, check current trends on vitamins, minerals, herbs, and other alternative medicines, and check with your doctor as well. Tryptophan helped me to relax and to sleep and helped prevent full blwon panic attacks which always occurred in the middle of the night for me. I also used tryptophan as a way of weaning myself from the prescription Xanax which was prescribed for me by my doctor.

Exercise every day is terribly important. It works off nervous energy and helps you to relax better. People who exercise regularly are more emotionally fit than those who aren't. That's not even to mention all of the wonderful physical benefits we already know about.

One cannot allow fears to stop them every day. I faced whatever fears I had. If one lets their fears overcome them then they will just have more fears until they are completely incapacitated by them. Fear was used for me, instead of against me. The fear of being incapacaitated pushed me forward. The more fearful I was, the more I pushed myself. I pushed myself out of the house every day, even when I had no reason to leave. I took the dog on walks in the park everyday, even though I was feeling pangs of fear the whole time. I pretended everything was all right until eventually it actually was all right and I began feeling and functioning like a normal human being again.

Close friends and family and good counseling were terribly important. I was not afraid to talk about anything. All of my worries and troubles came out in the open. In addition to regular appointments with both a counselor and a psychiatrist 9the counselor was on call whenever I needed her), I had two very close friends whom I could talk to. I tried not to isolate myself from people although there were times when it was necessary to be alone with myself or my immediate family. I also completely followed the advise of my psychiatrist and my doctor. All of the above mentioned things - diet, exercise, writing myfeelings, having a network of friends to depend upon, vitamins, relaxation techniques and facint my fears - were a part of my instructions. I was told to follow these to the letter before my symptoms became real physical symptoms that could kill me. I liked and cared about myself enough, inspite of these fears, that I followed everything faithfully. I also prayed constantly.

Once an attack of one of the symptoms I listed in the beginning comes on, it is terribly important to realize and acknowledge what one is going through. One must not ignore symptoms, nor should they pretend they don't exist. Say to yourself, "I'm having a dizzy spell" or whatever, realize it, feel it, say, yes this is happening, then lit it happen. Do not allow this symptom whatever it may be, to worry you or take control of you. Just go with the flow, let it happen. Once you have done this it just seems to release a lot of tension and you can function normally. These symptoms are only a part of your panic, if you give in to them and worry about them and try to fight them you will continue to be afraid and will more than likely make yourself more nervous and afraid, causing a full blown panic attack. If however, you acknowledge what is happening and flow with it, you can relax and it will go away. I have this attitude: "For some reason, be it emotional problems, or a chemical in the brain as some believe, my body reacts with strange symptoms which can ead to panic attacks. I am aware of this and realize what they are, and do not allow them to frighten me, but use them as a reminder that my body is under stress and I must relax." Always expect that you may have a panic attack. You may never get over them, but you can keep them from taking control of your life. If I have a symptom now, I recognize it, go with the flow and it goes away.

Cecile Page Vargo

ccvargo@yahoo.co

Poetry Corner

~**~**~

One Day At A Time
Cynthia Groopman

One day at a time, is a credo I shall always heed,
As God's nurtures me with soothing consolation and solace that I truly need.
Although beginnings may be sorrowful and bleak,
And my heart cries and my body is weak.
One day at a time,
Enables me to bask in strength's golden enriching sunshine.
Energized I feel, as time goes by,
No longer do I sulk or cry.
For gradually increasing is my motivation,
As I finally touch the glorious rainbow of elation.


Cynthia Groopman
Cynthia.Groopman@verizon.net

~**~**~

Remembering My Dearest Mom
Cynthia Groopman

Oh, dearest Mom, how I fondly remember you,
Marveling at your glorious light when the moon is new.
As you sprightly dance in the twinkling stars,
Your mirthful voice joyfully sings to me from afar.
Echoing reminders chant in the wind's playful blow,
As you embrace me warmly as the sun radiantly glows.
Dreams of you enchant me during the night,
As I am bathed in times of sadness, by your soothing and comforting light.
For Mother, dear,
Your essence and spirit is so near.
The candle of deep love and affection,
That you so wonderfully kindled into my soul and my heart,
Shall forever shine eternally and will never depart.


Cynthia Groopman
Cynthia.Groopman@verizon.net
Copyright ©2006 Cynthia Groopman

~**~**~

When I Hear From You
Cynthia Groopman

When I hear from you,
My spirits are uplifted and no longer am I dismayed or blue.
As your email appears on my computer screen,
Embraced am I by feeling so comforting, soothing and serene.
When your humor and joke fills me with laughter and smiles,
Sorrows sadness, and gloom disappear for more than a little while.
My mind begins to think of happy, optimistic and joyful things,
As my heart dances and sings.
Adorning my sky of life with sunshine's radiant warmth and cheer,
Is your friendship, a gift so precious and dear.


Cynthia Groopman

Copyright ©2006 Cynthia Groopman

Readers Feedback

What a wonderful idea David Wainland's father had, to read to read the classical poets' work to him! If I have kids, I would love to do the same thing! Of course, though, I'd love to read them some of my own work, just for variety.

Your friend,

David Fox

Storytime Tapestry Angels

Angels on earth, they exist they are out there. Angels come in all ages, shapes and sizes, civil status, and religion. Their nature is love and their purpose is giving to the less fortunate of this world. Storytime Tapestry angels are no exception. These angels are loyal members who have contributed to the upkeep of Storytime Tapestry newsletter so that Storytime Tapestry can continue come to your email box 350 days of the year.

Here is our Storytime Tapestry Angels: Also, I would like to thank those of you who chose to be a silent angel and gave an anonymous donation to keep Storytime Tapestry up and running.

Clara Westerfer, Mark Crider, Rosanne Catalano, Paula Booher, Kay Seefeldt, Mariane Holbrook, Mary Ellen Grisham, Louise Nomani, Sharon Bryant, Angela Walker, Hart and Helen Dowd, Keith Ready, Ginger Morgenstern, Ellie Braun-Haley, Surinder Jandu