Storytime Tapestry Newsletter

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

January 16, 2008

Today’s Announcement

  Good Morning, Friends:

The Latest on Matt’s Mom is that she has kidney stones. She is on    Matt’s mom is still hanging in there.  She goes for her kidney stone surgery on Friday.  Please continue to pray from her recovery.

Don’t forget to order your copy of Angels Watching Over Me, the story of an ordinary woman facing less than ordinary challenges.  Angels Watching Over Me is a story of family love, sacrifices, poverty and an undying faith that makes heroes out of all of us. Here is the link in case you have forgotten it: http://www.lulu.com/content/964306

Important notice: Storytime Tapestry is a free e-zine, however donations are always needed to help with the operating expenses of running the newsletter and to keep Storytime Tapestry the quality newsletter you are so accustomed to.   You can make your donations to paypal at: winterose@videotron.ca, or if you would prefer to use the mail system contact the publisher at the same email address: winterose@videotron.ca

Today’s Stories

  ~**~**~

 Today’s Trivia

The Facts:

A multitude of languages are spoken in Canada. According to the 2006 census, English and French are the preferred language ("home language", or language spoken most often in the home) of 67.1% and 21.5% of the population, respectively.
The five most widely-spoken non-official languages are Chinese (the home language of 2.6% of Canadians), Punjabi (0.8%), Spanish (0.7%), Italian (0.6%), and Arabic (0.5%). Aboriginal languages, many of which are unique to Canada, are spoken only by a very small percentage of the population, and are mostly in decline.

From the Thursday file – published by my friend Steve MacDowall

~**~**~

THE CHILD AND THE ANGEL

Dr. Harmander Singh

 My aim is to learn to live a peaceful life," the child said.

"I am surprised, do not you want to be something?" the angel asked.

"I want to be a human being," the child replied.

"But you are a human being. Why do you say that you want to be a human being? Please tell me," the angel was anxious to know.

"I am told that what should be done, if I do I am told how to do, if I do as told I am asked why I obeyed blindly, if I obey in my own way, I am asked why do not I tell why I do things in my own way. You know, this does not leave me as I am; I feel quenched by everyone except the wise ones. You know the wise people are very humanly they accept others as anybody is. I do not like it when I am not accepted as I am. I do not feel I am a human being. I have the feeling that I lack the qualities and virtues of tolerance of being a human. Please tell me how I can become a human being?" the child asked.

"….," The angel was silent; two drops of wisdom came out of his eyes.

"Please do not forget that it is easy to be an angel but difficult to be a human. Never forget that it is also very easy to be inhuman but difficulties are like milestones for making of a human. Never forget that you are a human and it will help you to become what you want to be," the angel smiled.

"Making of a Human; what is it?" the child wondered.

"My child, it is not always making a wish that others should accept you as you are, you see. If you can learn, it is learning for making a human civilized. Well, the civilized means accept your self, as you are others as they are. Learn to change and develop your self, it is the first and the last step, it the beginning without having any end. Is it all right?" the angel smiled.

            The child said nothing but smiled with a glowing radiance on its face. Both were looking alike. The angel left his child after telling him the stories of great humans with the hope and wish that the child will be what he wanted to one day. The child always looks at the sky and knows that the twinkling stars also teach us to blink our eyes with peace on our face.

Dr. Harmander Singh

bhagouauty@gmail.com
 

 ~**~**~

Hand Me Downs"

Doris B. Fandal

Have you ever been on the receiving line for 'hand me downs'?  I have and I have to say that at the time(s) this has happened, I was not a happy person about getting someone else's used clothing.  I outgrew this as I grew more mature but the stigma of getting those
'hand me downs' is something that I believe lingers with a person for a lifetime.  I will even confess that I probably took 'hand me downs' for my own children when they were offered forgetting that I had hated them.  I hesitate to even ask my daughter now if she remembers because I don't want to dredge up any painful memories for her if she hated them the way I did. 

To be very truthful, I think that people who give their 'good but usable clothing' to another probably never tell the world that they have done so but the person who receives them knows and wonders.  I don't remember any of these items that I received but I do
remember one that I never did get. 

I was a junior in high school and it was time to buy those wonderful prom dresses.  My dad had given my mother money to buy one for me and I was excited about getting it. Then mother came home from work one day and said that her friend, Mrs. Sally's daughter had a prom dress in her closet that would fit me perfectly.  I told her
quickly that I wanted my own and would not take the offered dress. 

I guess Mother or Mrs. Sally must have told my algebra teacher about the dress.  I don't know why or who did tell her but the next week in algebra class in front of everyone, the teacher said to me,

"Doris, why won't you wear Jo Nell's prom dress and save your dad some money?" 

I was humiliated and wanted to crawl under the desk because all of my friends were in the class and so was Jo's brother. I'm sure that if asked, none of them even remember
that incident but I did and don't think I will ever forget it. 

The important thing about 'hand me downs' to a grown up is that they are good clothing items, they do save a lot of money and the person who receives them should be happy to have new (for them) clothes to wear.  But the important things to a child who receives a 'hand me down' is that they sometimes feel that makes them unequal to the rest of their peers.  It may be a ridiculous thing to feel but not to a child.   I wouldn't mind having a few of those items for myself right now but I don't know anyone who wears my size
and is cleaning out their closet.  

Our views of life change as we mature; how wonderful it would be if we could have that maturity when we were younger and needed it.
©Doris B. Fandal
July 21, 2007

mkayla38@yahoo.com

Poetry Corner

~**~**~

 At a Snails Pace Race

By: Larry Siemens

Ahead of the pack

upfront of the race.

No cars may pass

they follow the pace.

Just one more lap

flags may fly green.

The race now on

all engines rev mean.

Off to the pits

pace car must go.

Not to be seen

until the next show.

Where yet once again

upfront like the star.

That’s where you find

the official snails pace car.

Larry Siemens

frogasaurus@shaw.ca

~**~**~

What Your Friendship Means To Me

 Cynthia Groopman

Your friendship means so much to me,

It fills my heart with smiles and glee.

When I am in need of emotional support,

Your friendship provides me with many calming and comforting feelings and thoughts.

In times of joy, in triumph, with you I can share,

I know that you really are happy for me and you so truly care.

In times of sorrow, solace you do provide,

I know you are always standing there with a helping hand, lovingly by my side.

We can chat and have laughter and fun,

We can speak of everything under the sun.

You have filled my life with sunshine and mirthful zest,

To you, gratitude, I lovingly express.

Cynthia Groopman

 cynthia.Groopman@verizon.net

Copyright ©2007  Cynthia  L. Groopman

~**~**~

January Thaw

Cynthia Groopman

How delightful it is to experience the welcome pleasant January thaw

,Where there is no hostile pounding cold wind incessantly thrusting at my door.

Where the windows are opened a bit andh sunshine is brightly shining through,

Bringing joy and smiles to me and to you.

Oh January thaw,

You are the type of weather, I simply adore.

Where there is no ice or snow to cover the ground,

In the distance, I can even hear the melodic chirping of a bird's lovely  sound.

.

Oh, January thaw, I wish you would never end,

For you have become a mirthful loving friend.

But I know that the harshness and coldness of winter will soon return,

,

Oh for the rebirth, warmth, and sweetness of springtime, I deeply desire and greatly yearn.

Cynthia Groopman

cynthia.Groopman@verizon.net

Story Feedback

Here are the Published Christmas entries to Date.  If you want to review the stories or poems before voting which will come only at the end of this contest, just go to the archives:  http://archives.zinester.com/98907

Stories

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, Bob Shaw, Carol Meeks, Charlotte Hilliard, Maria Keller, Marilyn Sink, Victor Buhagiar, Tanja Cilia, Clarice Hinson, Conrad Cardinal,