Storytime Tapestry Newsletter

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

Hearts and Humor – A Michael Smith Column

October 6, 2007

Hi, Gang! I have another fall story for you tonight.
I hope you enjoy it.

Last weekend I entered the Writers Weekly 24-Hour Short Story contest.
My entry is not suitable for this group. I always
come up with something dark.
If anyone is interested, please email me. I'll send you my entry.

The topic I had to work with was:

TODAY'S TOPIC!

The vivid hues of the foliage seemed to bring the painting
to life. Intrigued, she leaned closer. Blowing rapidly down
the cobblestone road, the artist's yellow leaves were a
dazzling gold, the red leaves burned a deep, unnatural
maroon, more beautiful than reality, and the dark orange
leaves faded around their edges, as if they couldn't decide
which color they wanted to be. She peered closer still,
desperately wishing to be there, in that place so far away,
and so long ago. Her senses seemed to respond to her
subconscious desires and she blinked back startled tears
when she suddenly inhaled the scent of wood smoke, felt
a cold wind stirring her hair, and saw a movement in
the distance...

~~~~~

WORD COUNT Stories for today's topic must not exceed 1100
words. (Your story's title is *not* included in the word
count. We used MSWord's word count function to determine
the final word count in submission.)

I need a few volunteers. Zinester doesn't work well these
days. My stories are not getting to those who signed up.
I found another service and need a few of my family of
readers to volunteer to check it out.

I signed up for a 60-day trial run. I can't do the trial
with all my readers. They will allow me only 100 members
in the trial. If you are willing to help me, please email
me at msmith4@nj.rr.com.

Be warned, while I check out this new service, you
will receive my stories twice - once through Zinester
and once from the new service.

I really need your help in checking this new system out.

    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.



                  The Fall of Life

    The nights grew longer - the air cooler. Leaves changed
color. Migrating birds made their way south - fleeing winter.
Fall is almost here - my favorite time of year. A walk through
the forest - a trip to an art gallery. The trees compete, each
a work of nature's glorious art.

    A canopy of color shaded me. I stood under them, looked up,
and saw sunlight streaming through the branches. It struck each
leaf. They reflected it with an un- imaginable brilliance.

    In the quiet of the forest, I heard a small snap. A single
leaf floated delicately to the ground. A light breeze stirred
the branches - a multicolored snow storm. The colored flakes
landed on my head and shoulders. They cover the seeds and nuts
the trees dropped earlier. Some had small sprouts already
reaching to the sky.

    The seeds of new life were soon buried under a cover of
delicate and dying leaves, a cover provided by the tall trees
standing over them. The leaves protected the future from the
cold winter to follow. In spring, the leaves decomposed and
provided rich nutrients to nourish the young - new generation.

    A week later I was back. I wanted to enjoy the season
before it is gone. The leaves rustled under my feet. The air
was scented with the odor of dampness and decomposition, as
the leaves began to decay - a pleasant smell. I shuffle along,
pushing the leaves in front of me. They parted and swirled
around my feet like the water on a beach. My heart was heavy.
Another year was gone.

    At home, I looked in the mirror - a hint of grey at my
temples. I noticed a few more in the whiskers on my chin and
a few chest hairs followed suit. The hair on the top of my
head, like the leaves, were mostly gone. I'm in the fall of
life. Could my winter be close?

    I sat in my chair, tried to watch a game on television,
but I couldn't focus. Where did my spring and summer go?

    My son walked by. He was a tall, healthy, and good looking
young man. "See ya, Dad. I'm going to work." The door closed
behind him.

    I thought of the trees, the seeds, the nuts, the leaves,
my children and grandchildren. Like the trees, I spread my
seeds and protected them. They grew from seeds and sprouts,
to tall, strong saplings.

    The trees and I have weathered many storms. We swayed
and bent under their force, but we stood over our young,
sheltered them, and covered them when they were cold.

    My heart felt lighter. Fall was not the beginning of
the end. It is the past protecting the future. One day, a
storm will blow in and I'll topple over - winter. The young
I sheltered, free of my shadow, will take my place to protect
the next generation - my job complete.

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:

(I'm running late tonight. I will post the comments
on the weekend)