Storytime Tapestry Newsletter

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

Hearts and Humor – A Michael Smith Column

August 16, 2007

HI, Gang!

Another bad day at work.
I left home at 7 AM, got to work at 8,
left work at 7 and got home at 8 PM.
13 long hours.

I called Ginny when I got to work, to let her
know I was safe. She informed me our computer
monitor was dead.

It's the only computer we have. She couldn't work
on her craft business or her support group for
widows and widowers.

I had horror thoughts of losing my writing material
and not being able to write to you tonight.

I called her at noon, during a very short break from
stressful day at work. "Hi, Hun! I got a couple of
minutes and wanted to hear your voice.
How are you?"

"I'm hot!" she replied.

Being the man that I am, yes the one who bought her
the things I discussed in the last story, I actually
thought...woohooo.

"I know you're hot, Baby!"

"You don't understand." Ginny said. "The Air conditioner
died."

"What?" I put my manliness aside. "The air conditioner?"

"Yes! The air conditioner quit! It's over 90 in the house."

My day continued to get worse. My managers, directors and
VP's hammered down on me. The project is behind schedule.
At 7 PM I called it quits and dragged my tired body to
my car and called the hot woman who wasn't hot, but
really was hot.

"Hi, Baby! I'm on my way home!"


I got home and managed to get the monitor working.
It was a rare moment of insight. As tired as I was,
I have no idea how I thought of it. I figure it was
an act of desperation.

I am able to write to you now, but my hot woman and I
are sweating and trying to survive.

Tonight's story is another old one. I was surprised how
much I liked it after I rewrote it.
I hope you enjoy it too.

To read more of my stories, go to:
http://subs.zinester.com/86758/
If you care not to subscribe, but want to read more
of my stories, go to the same link.


Here's an important link. Gary is trying to make a difference
in the world. http://www.hellofrommyheart.com/Welcome/
Say,"Hello From My Heart" to someone.

Gary, Thanks for making the world a better place!
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 or crafts,
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.

                   Cruise Control

    I drove down the highway in the right hand lane. My cruise
control was on. I approached a slower moving vehicle. In my side
mirror, I saw a car moving up on my left. It was too close for
me to switch lanes. I had to wait until it passed.

    The car ahead grew closer. The one to the left was slowly
overtaking and passing me. My eyes shifted back-and-forth between
the car ahead and the one to my left which had almost passed me.
With little room to spare, the car on the left moved ahead. I was
able to switch lanes, before touching my brakes, and shutting
off the cruise control.

    The above situation happens many times each week. "Why don't
you want to turn the cruise control off?" I ask myself.

    I think it's because I'm cruising along at a steady speed.
Life is moving forward. I'm happy. The pace is perfect for me.
An obstacle appears in the distance. It gets bigger and bigger.
Life has to slow down. A change is coming. I have to tap my
brakes.

    In the mid-nineties, Georgia and I were cruising. I had a
job I liked, two young kids and a beautiful home on the ocean.
We rolled down life's highway with the cruise control on. An
obstacle appeared - my company announced layoffs. I slammed on
the brakes.

    It took a year to find another job. It was like we were
behind a truck on a long uphill climb. We moved to another city,
settled in, and put life on cruise again.

    Three years later, the new company announced they were
selling part of their holdings. I saw the truck in the distance
again, but this time I quickly changed jobs - switched lanes - and
moved from Canada to the USA.

    The pattern continued. We cruised for awhile, but I kept my
foot close to the brake pedal. We knew the future held obstacles.

    I slammed on my brakes and came to a complete stop. Ahead
were miles of cars. They surrounded me, squeezed close on all
sides, and invaded my space. I'd been told, "Mr. Smith, there
is nothing more we can do. Georgia is very sick. It is time to
turn off the life support."

    We inched through the traffic. After what seemed like a
long time, I passed the wreck and saw the screen on the monitor
connected to her. It had been counting her heartbeats, but now
the small dot followed a flat line.

    Traffic inched around the obstacle. It was slow going. The
miles passed. My speed picked up. I found myself moving faster,
but there was still too much traffic to use my cruise control.
There were still too many obstacles to deal with.

    I pulled off the main road and drove leisurely along. It
was time to get my life onto a less clogged highway. The road
wound around sharp turns. It rolled over emotional hills. It
was slow but healing - comforting.

    I met Ginny and hit the cruise control again. Life was going
well. The road ahead was clear for hundreds of miles. The pavement
was smooth. We turned a corner. My foot touched the brake. My
stepdaughter, Heather, and her three boys moved in. It was time
for all of us to push down on our brake pedals.

    Heather and the boys moved out. They are on an open highway
and cruising along. Ginny and I moved into another clear lane.
Life for all of us is moving on a traffic-free highway.

    Wait!

    What's that in the distance?

    The road is never clear!



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.

    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/

From my wonderful writing friend, Jan. She writes wonderful
stories about her life and losing her sight.
Janet Perez Eckles
Faith and Love with a Latin Flair
www.janetperezeckles.com


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 a few comments on my last story about buying
female products for my wife:

Hi Michael:
Great story.  I felt for you as you stood in line.  I have bought
my wife's personal things and I know what you mean about being
self conscious about it.  I just put it out of mind and acted
like it was something that I would do all the time.  It depends
on your mindset.  If you feel humiliated, then you will be. 
Look at it as being a honor that your wife trusts you (dumb
old man) to pick up an item
such as this!
 
Blessings
Cecil N.

*****************

Hi Michael,
      God bless you, Honey! You are one in a million. Ginny
has no idea how hard it is to get any man to buy those kinds
of products when emergencies strike. I have always had to
buy them myself or get them when we bought groceries and
sneak them in with the shampoo, toothpaste, or deodorant.
      I fixed my husband one day. We were at the grocery
store when one of his good buddies came up and started
talking to him. Of course, you will never guess which
particular aisle we were standing on and exactly which
products I had to have at the time. I walked about 5 feet
away and threw a box of maxi pads to him and you should
have seen his face as he realized what he had just caught.
His friend was standing there howling with tears running
down his face. I told him that since it was ALL HIS FAULT
I HAD TO HAVE THEM IN THE FIRST PLACE, THE VERY LEAST HE
COULD DO WAS PUT THEM IN THE CART FOR ME...His friend
never stopped us again in the store and I think 4 women
applauded who were standing there at the same time.
      Take care and God bless,
      Lynne

Lynne, you are a blessing!
Mike

**************

Dear Michael,

You are an 'Angel' to do that for your Ginny! And 'my Andy'
would have done it for me, he even told me so after we read
your story...:) Not many men would have done what you did!
But it takes a 'VERY SPECIAL MAN'
to go to the store to purchase a 'female product' for his
wife! Aren't you happy that YOU are ONE of them? And I am
so glad that I am married to ONE of them also! Your Ginny
and I are VERY lucky ladies indeed!

Keep On Keepin On...:)
Barbara & Andy

*****************

Hi Michael,

My husband did go out and buy the feminine products but
he also brought other things so it wasn't the only the
wings he had to stay in line with!
lol 

Laura

****************

Oh my gosh Mike I couldn't stop laughing as I read your
story, Haven't we come a long way where we can now talk
about maxi and wings as it were bread and butter .
      Yes I am blessed to have a man who would do this
for me also
 
Take care
Alice

Alice is a great friend from Nove Scotia

*******************

This story made me laugh so much, because I have put
both my dad and my boyfriend into that kind of
situation, and I gather that it is not the most
comfortable one, is it? And again, it makes me think
that I shouldn't take either one of them for granted,
and appreciate all those little things they do that
make my life easier. I'm eternally grateful to both
of them, and to you, for making me realize this. So,
here it is: THANK YOU!
Jessica R