STORYTIME TAPESTRY

The Newsletter devoted to spreading love and cultural awareness throughout the world

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Sept 23, 2005? 

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We have several readers and writers in the way of hurricane Rita in the Texas area please pray for them.?  Included here is an update on Laura Brace and family.?  Laura too is a writer for Storytime Tapestry and a personal friend of mine.

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? We are two hours inland from the coast.?  However, they expect the wind and rain to be very bad.?  We have alot of big trees in this neighborhood that concerns me.?  The traffic may let up in the AM and we can get out.?  But, if not by say 2:00 tomorrow afternoon, then we will have to stay here to not get stuck on the road somewhere........... It is taking people 8 hours to get somewhere that would only take 2 hours at best usually for them.? ?  The storm is expected to hit Satuday morning just after midnight on Friday, somewhere between Beaumont and Galveston.? 

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Now on to the good stuff..........

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Today's Queue Stories
~**~**~**~

? I SAW HOPE

Sharon Bryant

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I am back from my journey to the gulf area of Mississippi and Alabama.?  I've thought about what words I could use to describe this trip.?  I've returned with images in my head that I know, will never go away the rest of my life

and yet, I've learned something.?  I've learned that people who have lost everything, can still give a hug, a handshake, a smile and say, "God Bless You."

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We headed from Tuscaloosa, Alabama towards Hattiesburg yesterday morning.? ?  We took white out and wrote on our vehicles, "Ms Bound, Kid's relief".? ? We had many kid's items aboard the two vehicles, from baby bottles to toys to clothes, and? wet wipes.

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We began to see large trees downed around Meridian and Laurel? Mississippi.? 

On the road, all you see are utility trucks and semi's from other states heading south.?  On the northbound side, it is truck after truck returning after delivering supplies.?  Utility trucks coming back, being relieved by other states.?  We passed utility trucks from Connecticut and New York, Ohio? and many other states.?  I could not even begin to say how many we saw, it was beyond counting.? 

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The closer we got to Hattiesburg, we saw roof damage on many homes.?  Hattiesburg was covered with the black bugs they call "love bugs."?  They seemed to attack the vehicles, and seeing out windshield's became impossible.?  We had to stop twice just to clean the windshield of our vehicles.

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My husband was driving, which gave me the chance to look around.?  As we got closer to the Gulfport area, the damage increased immensely.?  I've never seen so many trees down in my life.?  All along the roads there are piles of trees and large limbs.? 

We then arrived? in Gulfport, and the devastation can only be said in one word; horrendous.?  There and Biloxi you see piles of metal rubble and wood.?  And a town trying to reopen and get back to living.? 

So many businesses were gone amid the twisted metal and wood piled up.?  The traffic was horrendous as vehicles slowly? moved along the main roads.?  Guard rails were ripped from their foundation.?  I saw homes and businesses that had a metal roof, peeled back as though a giant potato peeler had attacked.?  Shingles were ripped from hundreds of places.? 

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One old church had one wall standing.?  I stood in awe when I saw the bell still intact on that front wall.?  The steps were still there and the entrance door which opened to a pile of wooden rubble.

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Around many of the large churches, there are people living in tents.?  You can see row after row of tents staked.?  Many are construction workers temporary living quarters.?  Many are people who are waiting on insurance claims.?  But there are so many.

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On highway 90, and other highways,? there are churches that are distribution points with the Red Cross.?  We saw tons of water piled up, clothes, food supplies, diapers, dog food, and so many other items.?  We stopped at many of these.

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We came upon a boy's home outside of Biloxi.?  There we handed out fudge, clothes, wet wipes, cleaning supplies and toys.?  The lady in charge was happy that we'd stopped by.

In Biloxi, I saw boats battered to pieces, and at one home, a boat had gone right through the bay window of? a house.?  The roof was gone, but I can't get the image out of my head of the boats piled up in the yard.? ?  It seemed unreal.

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We stopped by some of the construction living quarter sites and offered the workers fudge which they accepted with many "Thank You's" and sweaty grins.?  Everyone is working non-stop in all areas.

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We then headed on to Pascagoula, Mississippi.?  We got off highway 90 and went down a side street and that's where the impact of Katrina and what it did to people, their homes, their lives, slapped us in the face.

I have never seen anything like it in my life.?  Street after street, house after house, piles of furniture in front of all homes.?  Most have blue tarps on their roof? and every single house we saw had severe damage.

We met a man who was standing in his yard just looking at his front door.?  We offered him some cleaning supplies, food items, and he gladly accepted them.?  He told us the water rose to five foot in the homes in that area.?  House after house had make shift clothes lines strung from trees to hang clothing they were trying to salvage.?  In the piles of rubble of furniture, you can see?  mildew on everything.? 

Mattresses, chairs, beds, tables, dressers, all piled up in front of each house.?  The streets? were lined with debris no matter where we went.

No house was left untouched.?  People had tents set up in their yards.?  One man told us, "I'm just waiting for the insurance adjusters."

One woman told us that just yesterday electricity was finally turned on.

With all this devastation, with all the homes we saw, we only saw two little dogs with a family who were living in a tent in their front yard.?  They too, were waiting on insurance adjustors.?  We saw adjustors standing with clipboards, taking photos of so many houses.?  I can only imagine how long this will take with so much destruction.

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You see trailers all over, marked? white tags on them saying "FEMA."?  ? Many trucks have makeshift signs on them saying "Relief, or hurricane relief, or "Katrina relief" on the sides of the trucks.?  One thing was sure, everyone heading in that direction, had something to give.?  The massive amount of vehicles we saw will always stay in my mind.? 

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We came upon a church with a huge distribution center across the street.?  We saw row after row of?  vehicles lined up to drive through and receive supplies they need.?  And this is where I kept the promise I made to someone.?  The volunteers allowed us to stand by the entrance and hand out fudge.?  I waited until I saw a vehicle with a little girl in it, and that is where the dolls went that someone in Michigan sent me.?  I took a photo of one little girl holding hers.?  I watched as she hugged it to her chest, looking at it.?  And I wondered if all her toys were gone from Katrina.?  I saw her smile and I knew that even though she may have lost everything, she still had something to hug and love.

One lady had a large van.?  The entrance to the parking lot to the distribution center had a blue tarp overhead so the volunteers could get some shade from the blistering sun.?  The lady slowly pulled ahead after her name and address was given and her van caught the corner of the makeshift "tent covering."?  The whole thing began falling, wood and metal bending.?  I started to run, as folks were yelling at her to stop.?  It held up the rows of vehicles trying to get into the parking lot for several minutes.

When vehicles enter the distribution center, people are handed a cold bottle of water and asked if they'd like a Bible.?  I saw rows of Bible's stacked up as so many said yes, they would like a Bible.?  A thought entered my mind as I witnessed this and that was, "I wish the Atheist's could see this and how many believe in our God."

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There is a stretch of miles between Biloxi and Pascagoula that the trees have all been stripped of their bark.?  The tops of the trees are still there, but row after row, mile after mile of trees, all bark is gone.?  I don't know if it was the velocity of the wind or the rush of the water that left those trees standing naked in the woods.?  Yet it was a sight to see.

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We stopped at a restaurant on the outskirts of Pascagoula.?  When we ordered ice tea, we were told that all drinks were being sold in cans only.

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I believe the word I can use to describe what I saw is massive.?  Total destruction all over.?  I've never been in a war zone before nor near an area where a huge bomb has exploded, but I think that is what I could use to describe the gulf areas we visited.

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And yet, there is something about the people.?  They hug you, they shake your hand, and I heard "God Bless You" so many times, I can't count.?  All I could say was, "You're welcome."?  They have lost so much.?  And yet they smile and when they hug you, they squeeze you so hard.?  Some cry.?  Some try to talk and the tears fill their eyes, and you have to say, "That's ok."

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We spent hours yesterday trying to lift spirits and just letting people know that strangers will take the time to drive down to the gulf area to give a hand.? 

I left the area late yesterday with a feeling in my heart and images in my mind that will stay with me as long as I live.?  I believe I saw the heartbeat of America.?  I saw kindness. ? I saw devastation.?  I saw pain and suffering.?  And yet......I still saw hope.? 

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Sharon Bryant

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Note:?  Many have asked me to let them know what is really needed in these areas.?  It is cleaning supplies.?  There is not enough cleaning supplies.?  They need bleach, paper towels, detergents, trash bags, disinfectants.? ? ? I cannot stress enough how much these types of items are in demand down there.?  For those who want to help and want to give items? to your local Red Cross or organization sending? items to the gulf,? buy cleaning supplies.

We were told at numerous places they do not need anymore clothing.?  Clothes are piled up in enormous piles at many different locations.? 

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God Bless America and all lives that were in the path of this devastating hurricane.

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Sharon Bryant

1946 @bellsouth.net

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About Me:

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? I am Sharon Bryant,? 59 years old and reside in Alabama.

I lost my child in 1977 when he was five and I write
articles on bereavement often.

I am a chocolate/candy maker and also a wood crafter and knitter.

I am married to a wonderful man, and have two remaining children, a daughter 25,
Amy, and a second son, Randy, age 22.

My main goal in life is to help those who
have lost a child. My website is: www.angelsremembered.tk

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~**~**~? 

My Heart is Saying ? 

Gregory Hernandez

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My heart is telling me: alive, awake and aware I:

am living with the thrill of this moment

realize that the voice that said ???I will be taking you soon???

? ? ? ? ?  could have been telling the truth

Even so, I have never been as full, as happy, as I am right now.

My heart is also telling me:

? ? ? ? ?  do not be jealous, guarded, hateful

? ? ? ? ?  these days are gifts, not a given.

? ? ? ? ?  Be aware of every pain and strain in a heartbeat:

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?  It could be the last

? ? ? ? ?  Even so: do not regret, not a moment of this new life

? ? ? ? ?  And give give give, even as you have been given

New eyes, if not an extension of the warranty on your old body;

New mind, even if it??™s awareness of your old failings

New strength ??“ to be what you NEVER could have thought to be

New appreciation ??“ for the Creator, who always knew you could do more than you ever believed

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Gregory Hernandez (gregory499@yahoo.com)?  is one half of the NYC songwriting duo Riverglass. He has been a published writer, has appeared as a model in a national magazine, and produced Flash animations for several sites featuring the characters of renowned fantasist Michael Moorcock. Recently he has discovered the world of online fiction and has had stories appear on such fanfiction sites as Multiverse.org, Omniverse, and Marvel Dark Design. In the real world, he has had stories appear in various small press publications.

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My Old Diary

Saskia Nienna Steidel

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I passed out again today. They told me it would not be something good and I should stop acting like nothing bad happened. They told me, my heart beat would be too slow and my system would be too slow and that they would maybe have to operate on my heart when I am older.

I guess, they are just mad because I can sometimes go to a world they can??t even see.

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(Well, about two years ago I passed out in a train and the brought me to the hospital. I was there for a while and they checked everything but they couldn??t really find something. Still they wanted to operate me and put a little computer next to my heart that would make me heart beat faster, if my heart would stop too long again. I told them that I will not let them operate me and that I would not want to have a computer in me. I am not a robot. And I do not need it. I do not feel sick. They have not been to happy with me. But I met an old doctor there. He told me, the young doctors always just want to operate and to work with machines and they would never take the time to just talk to the patient to find out what happened and why. Well, he talked to me. And he explained me, that it is not really something bad what I have. My heart is slow sometimes ??“ and? I do not feel sick. And I feel it long before I pass out, so I have no problems with driving either. I can feel in the morning if I get up if I have to be careful or not. And the doctor gave me a little bottle he told me to smell on if I feel like I would have to pass out soon.

And I still believe that hey have just been mad because they could not even see the world I visited sometimes!)

Saskia Nienna Streidel

saskiaofthewoods@yahoo.de

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My name is Saskia Steidel, I am born the? 17.10.1981 in Germany. I live in a small ? village in the middle of the woods and love to write. Right now I study learn therapy and music therapy and I just quit my job as a ticket manager in the administration of an soccer club, to have more time to study and to write and to work as a Nanny, what I really love. So far I published poems and some other pieces in different books and published one book called "Am Ende der Nebel". Right now I am writing on a children??™s book.

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? Forgive Our Trespasses

Janice Bumbalough Marler

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Recently my soon-to-be x son-in-law did me a grave injustice. He told an untruth to a friend of mine. We had been friends for several years and I was shocked and amazed that she chose to believe him. I have never lied to my friend about anything in the whole of our relationship. Why he would stoop so low is beyond me. Perhaps he blames me for his failed marriage; who knows. Because he has no one living in North Carolina that is remotely kin to him, I have tried to take him under my wing. On his birthday I was the only one that made him a birthday meal, purchasing a small cake and his favorite ice-cream. I did this because I knew no one else would remember his birthday.

He has stolen from me without qualm, or scruples. He uses water supplied by the well that sits on my property. Yet in all of this, he has lost sight of who his true supporters are.

People choose what and how they will live their lives. I don't choose his actions, nor anyone else??™s actions, and I certainly do not advise them on how to live.

In this episode, my grandson was caught up in the Tsunami, in the back-draft, so to speak. He is only 16 and is visiting for the summer with his father. I am sorry he was caught in the tidal wave but that is what happens when Tsunamis hit. Now he has nothing to do with me...I find it ironic that they can say anything they choose about me, or berate me, or listen to his father call me all kinds of evil names and I am to keep my mouth shut and pretend that nothing has happened. My so-called friend now wants nothing to do with me because he convinced her that I had said those awful things about her husband. My hand to God, I never said those atrocious things. In fact that is not language I use.

In all of this, God expects me to forgive as he has forgiven me my trespasses. This has caused me to reflect on my own life and ask myself, "Am I capable of that kind of forgiveness?" I honestly don't know, but I know I expect God, (after I have asked him to forgive me), to do exactly that. Forgive me when I have done atrocities. I do know this about myself, if I don't know anything else; I do know that I never stay angry. I am only angry for a short while and then I get over it. As for my friend, I don't quite know how to deal with that. I do know she has lost her one very true friend, one she knew she could count on, and that is me. Will I ever understand what happened? Probably not.

Janice Bumbalough Marler

poetrybyjan@msn.com

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? SENIOR WRITERS

Chief Writer: Sharon Bryant

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? Agee, Vance;? Apted, Violet;? Baker, Kathy; Batt, Al;?  Berry, Nell;

Boda, Ginger;? ? Buhagiar, Victor; Cassady, B.J.;?  Cavalera, Robyn; Crider, Mark;? 

Deming, Barb; Doherty, Maria; Goodier, Steve; Halley, Ellie Braun;

Harris, Kathy Anne;? Hunt, Sharlette;? 

Jacobson, Gary;? Kiser, Roger Dean; Kerens, Claudia; Jenkins, Pamela;

Liles, Norma; Lock, Joyce; Mazzella, Joe;? Ojeigbe, Georgewaters;

?  Petry, Dianna Doles; Roberts, Susan;?  Shiveley, Debra; Shaw, Bob; Sims, Richard; Swarner, Ken; Vaknin, Sam; Verhoeff, Jan

Walker, Bill; Walker, Joe;? Warner, Gorden K;

Whirity, Kathy;? White, Robert;

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STORYTIME TAPESTRY STAFF

Publisher: Carol Roach-founder

Moderator: Thelma Hartselle-co founder

Moderator: Clara Westerfer

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