Hashtag-Me-Too ~ #MondayBlogs

RAINN and other well-known sources have been citing appalling statistics about sexual assault and abuse in America since 1994. However it wasn’t until 2016 and 2017 when a deluge of sexual assault/abuse/harassment allegations against famous personalities came to the forefront that most people started mouthing the words, “I can’t believe how many allegations...” Earlier this year Facebook saw a huge amount of their members posting #MeToo representing those of us who suffered in silence and in solidarity; most posters were women although several men joined in as well.

Do you feel as if you’ve been bombarded by the amount of women, men and (former) children who have stepped up with their stories of abuse? According to RAINN’s most recent facts “1 out of every 6 American women has been the victim of an attempted or completed rape in her lifetime” and “About 3% of American men have experienced an attempted or completed rape in their lifetime.” There are even more disturbing facts when you consider that “From 2009-2013, Child Protective Services agencies substantiated, or found strong evidence to indicate that, 63,000 children a year were victims of sexual abuse.” For more statistics visit https://www.rainn.org/statistics/scope-problem .

Have these numbers bothered you yet? Think about the teen-age girls traveling the NYC subways during rush hour, when bodies are jam-packed against one another and suddenly there is a hand exploring their genital area (or worse) — I know this happened often to my travel companions and myself during our high school years. There are too many stories about women being propositioned in return for otherwise well-deserved work promotions and far too many stories where the advances were turned down and yet the word NO held no meaning. Of course most of us are highly offended hearing about children who were molested by that favorite “Uncle” (or “Aunt”) and then dismissed when they tried to tell Mommy and Daddy. I know there are horror stories about men being victimized by women as well and also same-sex assaults.

There is a sad sickness in our society when a woman is blamed for getting raped because she was walking home alone at night, or when a 14-year old child “allows” an adult to liberties. How twisted is the logic that believes a prisoner in jail, even for minor infractions, “deserves” to be raped? And why do we find different standards and excuses based on someone’s political position, financial status, being a movie star, or his/her skin color or sexual preference? How can any decent human being believe that a woman who doesn't want it and fights cannot be raped?! Why do some states treat marital rape, even though illegal in all 50 states, different when it comes to punishment? And why are there so many complaints about college administrations who hide the incidence of rape and sexual assault rather than pursuing full police investigations and arrests?

I am aware that there will be someone reading this who will offer up the possibility of false accusations and the permanent damage that can cause the unjustly blamed. Yes, false accusations can cause lifetime trauma leading to broken marriages, loss of employment and even worse. But I honestly believe that the actual incidence of rape and unwanted sexual encounters, even those that are not prosecuted, are far more common than false allegations; in this instance we hope that the law and juries can see through to the truth. But I will admit feelings of anger when the reaction to an accusation is automatically greeted with the assumption that the victim is crying “wolf”.

Knowing how many of us were compelled to post “#MeToo” is sad. And learning how many rape and assault survivors have felt they had to keep silent because their character would be questioned or condemned is tragic.

…just my thoughts,
Chelle Cordero,
author of The Survivor Series: Bartlett’s Rule & Courage of the Heart

                                                                                                   

...

The First Page Review blog hop ~ Annie's Karma

this is a part of the Weekend Writing Warriors

First Page Review Blog Hop

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 from Annie's Karma

Prologue

“Okay. This is the last of the boxes. Now we can get out of this hell-hole.”

“Uh-huh.” Annie kept her back to him so he couldn’t see the tears on her cheeks.

“Hey, are you okay?” Dave put the box down and went to her. He put his arms around her middle and gently pulled her back against him. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“No.” She turned in his arms and wrapped her arms around his waist. “It’s stupid. I haven’t been living here for months… and I certainly wasn’t happy in this place.” She buried her face against his chest.

Dave could only remember that Annie almost died here. He glanced over her head and noted the bare walls and the hollow vacancy in front of him. Still, this had been her home and he had to remind himself of that. At some point he hoped she felt happy about moving in to this house, he wondered if she would ever remember that joy.

“I bet you had dreams, though, when Scott and you first moved in here.”

She shrugged in his embrace. “I used to be naïve.”

Dave felt only anger towards Scott and sadness for Annie. He hoped, sooner rather than later, that he could return some of that innocence to her. Sometimes Dave wondered if he could have lived with himself, if Annie would ever have forgiven him, if he had made sure that Scott hadn’t lived to go to trial, but that wasn’t the kind of law enforcement officer and not the kind of man he was. He only hoped that Annie could love him for that. He held her just a little bit tighter.

“I hope the next person who lives here makes it into a real home.” Annie sniffled and backed out of his arms. “I’m sorry, I don’t mean to be whiny.”

“You’re not being whiny.” He reached out and caught her chin with his fingertips. He tilted her face up to look at him and shrugged. “That’s beautiful of you to wish someone else happiness, especially someone you don’t know,” He narrowed his eyes, “Or do you?”

---

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A Teaser from Touch of Love

An Empty House

No matter how many times I turned the key in the lock I was always disappointed to find the room within always empty. I kept hoping for the day he would return. I promised him I would wait as long as it took until he came back to me.

For months I missed my husband, I missed sleeping next to him every night, and I missed seeing him every morning as he dressed for work. I was forced to accept the fact that it wasn’t our bed he fell asleep in every night. Someone else was preparing his meals, greeting him when he woke, and someone else was listening to him when he needed to talk. So many days and weeks passed while I cried myself to sleep every night… simply alone.

Life had changed. I never suspected that he would leave me, that he would leave our home.
...

A Chelle Cordero short
story collection

.

An Empty House: You never know what tomorrow will bring. This is a personal essay about coping with and moving on with the “New Normal”.

The night before our 41st wedding anniversary my wonderful and loving husband was rushed to the hospital with a stroke. It was just after midnight on our anniversary that the Dr said the next 48 hours would be critical. He spent months in rehab and I feel very blessed that he was able to come home. This man has always been my hero (and the man I have based every one of my book heroes on!). It’s been a journey and we are on this road together...

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Touch of Love... is Here!

 

~~ All Ebook Editions ~~

Touch of Love

Short Story Collection

 by Chelle Cordero

An Empty House: You never know what tomorrow will bring. This is a personal essay about coping with and moving on with the “New Normal”.  The Lost Love: Rejected for her Mexican heritage by the teen-age boy she had a crush on, Lindsay put it behind her. So how come, when they wind up at the same college years later, Lindsay can’t get over her anger at the humiliation? And will Brad ever forgive himself for his callous behavior? The Dead Guy in the Park: An almost end-of-shift call leads a paramedic and her partner to a dead guy in the park. All she has to do is pronounce him so that the coroner can come get the body. What could possibly go wrong? *includes a bonus Spanish edition El Difunto del Parque translated by Marianna Carranza Rekindled: Cynthia and Daniel were college sweethearts torn apart by tragedy. A lifetime later they bump into each other again — Is this their second chance at love?  A Date with Mistletoe: Sometimes you find that it’s the “Unanswered Prayers” that are the best things to ever happen. When confronted by the man of yesterday alongside the man who means the world to her, there is no doubt in Rachel’s mind that she has the best.  He is My Brother…: Who can help save the life of a beloved family member? Prayers, hopes and a personal plea for help. Always, One More Time: Disowned by her parents because of an interracial love affair, Callie Sanders is left alone to raise her son after his father, Jimmy Bernerd, dies fighting in a war on the other side of the world. Desperate to give her son a family she goes to the Bernerd household — what she finds is a second chance at love, acceptance, and family.   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zlwVoBgwCk

Touch of Love Sneak Peek Video

 

Touch of Love

Short Story Collection

 by Chelle Cordero

 

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Author Chelle Cordero

Chelle Cordero writes stories of Passion and Suspense. Vanilla Heart Publishing has published eleven Cordero novels: Bartlett’s Rule; His Lucky Charm; Within the Law; Courage of the Heart; Final Sin; Hostage Heart; A Chaunce of Riches; Common Bond, Tangled Hearts; Hyphema; and Karma Visited. She is currently working on her next novel and promises another action packed adventure and heartwarming love story. Chelle has been writing both fiction and non-fiction for the bulk of her adult life and has been with Vanilla Heart Publishing since early 2008. Her books have earned many plaudits which includes: Bartlett’s Rule was named one of Carolyn Howard-Johnson’s Top Ten Reads for 2009; Final Sin was an Honorable Mention in the Fiction Category of the 2010 NY Book Festival and a 2009 Pushcart Prize nominee.; Hyphema won the Dec 9, 2011 Friday Book Cover Vote on the Shades of Love website; A Chaunce of Riches was Winner of D. Renee Bagby’s readers’ choice for The Best Overall First Chapter, April 2010; and Hostage Heart, Final Sin and A Chaunce of Riches had top ten finishes in the 2009 Preditors’ and Readers’ poll. Chelle was also featured in “50 Great Writers You Should Be Reading” published by The Author’s Show in 2010. Chelle Cordero maintains an author’s blog at http://chellecordero.blogspot.com/, and a promotional blog at http://ccepotourri.wordpress.com/. Her website http://ChelleCordero.com offers information on all of her books and her appearances. Bloggers and the media are welcome to visit Chelle’s media room at http://chellecordero.com/media/ with downloadable photos and other information. Be sure to LIKE Chelle’s FaceBook page at https://www.facebook.com/AuthorChelleCordero and follow her on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ChelleCordero. You can email Chelle at ChelleCordero(at)gmail.com. Chelle lives in the northeast with her husband, Mark, and family. They have two adult offspring. Jenni and Marc (& Trish); they also live with three mischievous and spoiled pussycats, one of whom has taken up permanent residence on Chelle’s desk. Chelle is a full-time freelance journalist for multiple publications; her articles appear regularly throughout North America and she writes a monthly column on NYS Emergency Medical Services issues as a (former) NYS Emergency Medical Technician (First Responder News).
   

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#DailyPrompt ~ SAVAGE ~ #MondayBlogs

I found a terrific writing site (thanks to my friend Sugana) — The Daily Post: Daily Prompts provides a NEW daily prompt every day to give every writer a way to put a spark in her/his creativity. I decided to join this group every so often...

Today's Prompt is SAVAGE

Definition of SAVAGE[Adjective] (of an animal or force of nature) fierce, violent, and uncontrolled.[noun] (chiefly in historical or literary contexts) a member of a people regarded as primitive and uncivilized.[verb] (especially of a dog or wild animal) attack ferociously and maul.

How many are aware that this word, “SAVAGE”, appears in one of the most defining and important documents of the free world? Well buckle up and come along for a little history lesson:

Here in the U.S.A. we just celebrated July 4^th, our country’s “birthday”. For many Americans this means parties, barbecues and fireworks. For some Americans there is both a bittersweet commemoration of a momentous event that took place on July 4^th, 1776, and bitterness that’s been swallowed and yet keeps bubbling to the surface.

Every year, somewhere, it is traditional to find the American Declaration of Independence being read in its entirety. On July 4^th, 1776, in Congress, the signed Declaration of the thirteen United States of America was adopted and officially gave birth to a nation. The 56 (male) signers were from the 13 states that made up our young country: Delaware, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, New York Georgia, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, New Jersey, Connecticut and Maryland.

While the Declaration was officially adopted on July 4^th it took until November of that year for all of the representatives to sign it. The very first signature in the Declaration, signed on July 4^th, belonged to John Hancock who was the President of the Continental Congress. The 56^th and final signature belonged to Matthew Thornton from New Hampshire. The oldest man to sign was 70-year old Benjamin Franklin. John Hancock’s signature is the most prominent one on the page.

One of the most famous lines in this very famous document says, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” 

The document then continues with a long litany of examples about how the King of Great Britain violated the rights and rules of the people in the 13 colonies. 

One example included later in the document is “He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.”

The indigenous people living in this land BEFORE Christopher Columbus mistakenly labeled them “Indians” thinking that he had arrived in India were referred to as Indians and Savages. Also, wasn’t it kind of nervy to refer to these people as “the inhabitants of our frontiers”? They were here FIRST!

Ironically while many the people living in the 13 colonies came to this land to escape tyranny and oppression, the freedoms that the Declaration of Independence spoke of were not automatically bestowed on all the people living in our land — groups such as Women, Blacks, and Native Americans were denied the right of voting for many years.

Married women were also not allowed to own property or keep any money they earned. The 19th Amendment in 1919 granted women the right to vote, but it took more than half a decade, until 1984, for all of the states to ratify the agreement. In 1870 the 15^th Amendment granted Black men the right to vote, although there are many recorded cases where exercising that right was consistently challenged. 

Even though the 15^th Amendment granted voting rights to ALL male citizens of the United States, the Native Americans were denied citizenship (and therefore could not vote) until the Indian Citizenship Act in 1924. There were many instances of harassment and discrimination until the Voting Rights Act of 1965 was signed into law.

Our country’s history is not without blemish, but at least today every citizen, regardless of age*(18+), gender or race, has the right to vote and hopefully will always be able to.

“And I'm proud to be an American where at least I know I'm free.

And I won't forget the men who died, who gave that right to me.

And I'd gladly stand up... next to you and defend her still today.

'Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land God bless the U.S.A.”

("Proud To Be An American" Lee Greenwood)

#DailyPrompt ~ SCAMPER ~ #MondayBlogs

I found a terrific writing site (thanks to my friend Sugana) — The Daily Post: Daily Prompts provides a NEW daily prompt every day to give every writer a way to put a spark in her/his creativity. I decided to join this group every so often...

Today's Prompt is SCAMPER

 The definition of SCAMPER: [verb] 
to run nimbly and usually playfully about  ~ also ~
An acronym for a Creative Thinking Process

When I tackle these word prompts I always start out by looking up the true definition of the word just to be sure that I am using it correctly. Today my first thought when I read the definition was of my year-and-a-half old grand-nephew “D” that I got to see today. With a house full of people “D” was of course confident that he was the center of attention — I think he was!

With an energy that all of the older folks envied, “D” ran back and forth through his parents’ house, scampering, hiding around corners and giggling which always gave away his hiding spot. It was a truly fun day with the inevitable question, “How can we bottle up some of that energy?”

I was also very intrigued when I Googled the word to find that S.C.A.M.P.E.R. is a mnemonic representing an innovative 7-step technique to brainstorm, “think out of the box”, solve problems, and kindle creativity. Imagine — Improve — Invent. [from Wikipedia]

1.      Substitute comes up with another topic that is equivalent to the present topic.

2.      Combine adds information to the original topic.

3.      Adjust identifies ways to construct the topic in a more flexible and adjusted material.

4.      Modify creatively changes the topic.

5.      Put to other uses identifies the possible scenarios and situations where this topic can be used.

6.      Eliminate removes ideas or elements from the topic that are not valuable.

7.      Reverse, rearrange evolves a new concept from the original concept.

Step one allows us to think in terms of what we know, something that already is. This can be a hard good, a service, a process, or anything.

Step two makes us think of what “parts” can go in to improving and creating. Can we put other items together to serve a different purpose?

Step three helps us to examine what we could do to use the item in some other way (similar to the butter knife being used as a screwdriver, lol)

Step four begs the questions, how can we make this better (either an existing or a new product)?

Step five examines again the use of this product in a different manner and how that might alter the original product, would its use as something else be better if it were modified?

Step six helps us to narrow our focus and be more concise about the purpose or use of the item or service. What is necessary (parts, material, design) for the intended purpose and how can we streamline it?

Step seven is basically rethinking the project and how it could change if you went through the steps in a different order.

The S.C.A.M.P.E.R. technique forces us to think in abstract, creative ways. Simply put it’s like (figuratively) reaching into our brains and pulling out those tiny, otherwise hidden, ideas and thoughts. It certainly gives us something to wrap our minds around.

Ideas for using SCAMPER    [from GiftedMMiller]
1. Read a simple story. What elements of SCAMPER could be used to rewrite the story? If you get stuck on a writing assignment, will the ideas from SCAMPER help you to keep going?
2. Create your own invention. Take any common object and think about how it might be changed or improved upon. Think about the history of a common invention, such as the telephone. Go back to the earliest phone you can find and see how the elements of SCAMPER were used to improve each generation of the communication device.
3. Take a current social or political problem and discuss how elements of SCAMPER might be applied to come up with possible solutions.
4. Use SCAMPER to analyze a Web site or a brochure. Can you find ways that the Web site or brochure might be improved?
5. Take any common object—a penny, a shoe, a table. How can you apply the elements of SCAMPER to come up with a new and creative use of the object? 

...

#DailyPrompt ~ Cringe ~#MondayBlogs

I found a terrific writing site (thanks to my friend Sugana) — The Daily Post: Daily Prompts provides a NEW daily prompt every day to give every writer a way to put a spark in her/his creativity. I decided to join this group every so often...

Today's Prompt is CRINGE

 The definition of CRINGE: [verb] cringe/krinj, to bend one's head and body in fear or in a servile manner; such as "he cringed away from the blow"   synonyms: cower, shrink, recoil, shy away, flinch, blench, draw back

As a child I cringed when the doctor pulled out a needle and gave me a shot in the arm. I also cringed when a teacher pulled a surprise quiz on the class. Childhood fears (for most of us) certainly seem like minor inconveniences after we grow into adulthood. Not that getting punished by your parents, or being lost in a huge department store, or facing off a childhood bully weren’t scare-worthy events…

The day my husband and I closed on our house I remember walking into the entryway using MY key and completely cringing as I stared at the stairs leading up thinking “oh my G-d, what did we do? How are we ever going to pay this off? It’s just too much responsibility!” That same house would become a haven to us, raised a family, always had pussycats pretending to be the 4 A.M. express running through the house, and was filled with constant laughter and lots of love. And yes, we were able to pay it off.

When each of our children learned to drive I cringed each time they went out and breathed an enormous sigh of relief when they arrived back home in one piece. There were many other moments through my life that I cringed in anticipation of hearing the phone ring late at night, or opened a hospital bill that I swore just couldn’t be right, or went to bed worried about something or other and woke from a frightening nightmare. Plenty of opportunities to cringe, shake with nervousness, and lose sleep and in the end plenty of time to simply sigh with relief and laugh at myself for all of the worrying.

The thing I have learned through the years is not to allow yourself to be paralyzed with fear wondering and worrying about things that MIGHT happen. While there are indeed upsetting and sometimes even earth-shattering things that can happen in all of our lives, wasting time worrying is just that, a waste of time. Nobody knows what will happen tomorrow, but if you don’t take advantage of living fully today because you are too busy cringing then that is 24-hours you will never ever get back.

Allowing fear to make you lose precious time with your loved ones, enjoy a good book, let the sun warm your skin, or simply appreciate the scenery is definitely a loss that is cringe-worthy.

#DailyPrompt ~ RELIEVED ~ #MondayBlogs

I found a terrific writing site (thanks to my friend Sugana) — The Daily Post: Daily Prompts provides a NEW daily prompt every day to give every writer a way to put a spark in her/his creativity. I decided to join this group every so often...

Today's Prompt is RELIEVED

 The definition of RELIEVED: [adjective] no longer feeling distressed or anxious; reassured.

As we get to that “certain age” and the doctor writes out a bunch of scrips for scans, lab tests, diagnostics, and more, we just can’t seem to avoid a growing dread in the pit of our stomachs. Absolutely NOTHING was wrong before! Why am I being subjected to all of this poking and prodding? And what about my dignity when each part of my body is being examined by a different group of people… okay, okay, I know they are professionals, and my common sense does tell me that playing it safe is a heck of a lot better than dealing with some catastrophic illness. But still —

So we act rationally and make our appointments and scheduling isn’t always the easiest, after shifting schedules and arranging for someone to pick us up afterwards (when required) and throwing someone else’s day into disarray we bravely march right up to the reception desk and fill out a myriad of forms with the most minute details… details that would normally fall into the category of TMI. Then you are given a gown that is guaranteed to let in too much of a breeze “somewhere”.

Finally we are in the exam room, hooked up to all kinds of monitors and feeling a bit like a character in some futuristic sci-fi show. The doctor, technician or PA does what they have to do and you are done. Get dressed again and go wait in the next room for someone to come in and discuss preliminary findings, if you are lucky; with some test you’ll have to wait three, ten or fourteen days until you get a phone call from a nurse reading the results to you and telling you the doctor’s next recommendation.

Whew! You get a clean bill of health and this tremendous feeling of relief settles over you. You’re told what they’ll send you a reminder when you have to do it all over again. Until then though, you are celebrating. I’m fine, I’m alive, and things are good. As you wipe your brow feeling so relieved you know that this was the smart thing to do for YOU and for the folks who love and depend on you. And IF, G-d forbid, your results aren’t the most pristine, you’ve probably found out while there is still time to make adjustments. Yeah, definitely smart.

My wish for all of you is Always Great Results and lots of reasons to feel relieved.

What a Sad, Sad World…

 Flag Day June 14, 2017

When I walked into the living room today my husband was watching the news on TV and told me that there had been a shooting in the Capitol,

Me: Oh God, anyone hurt

Him: Yeah, a few, there’s a congressman and a couple of cops

Me: I just hope they will be okay

Him: Yeah

As the time passed there was more and more information about the incident, the victims’ names and eventually the name of the shooter — a short time later there was an announcement that the shooter had died from his injuries.

Today is Flag Day. On June 14, 1777 there was a congressional resolution calling for an OFFICIAL American flag with stars and stripes representing the colonies. In 1916 President Woodrow Wilson suggested that June 14 be observed as Flag Day and celebrated with Patriotism. In 1949 President Harry Truman signed that proclamation into law. The American Flag stands today with 50 stars and 13 stripes as a symbol of freedom, liberty and human rights.

“…One Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

I typed the deceased shooter’s name into Google and came up with his Facebook page. Curious about what would make a man fire upon others in such an apparent random act of senseless violence I did click on his page to see if he had posted any prior notice. The man was politically charged and not a fan of the current administration and extremely verbal about his feelings. In this country we do have the right of free speech and he did exercise it — but from what I could read he didn’t advocate violence or killing. Whatever reason this man may have justified his deed by, whether mental illness or some “plot”, I cannot condone his actions.

However what did strike me, frighteningly so, were the multitudes of comments filled with vitriol; I wasn’t the only one to have referenced his page. And this was what I find even more abhorrent, the commentary on his page was, almost without exception, celebrating his death as a “lesson” to any others who disagreed with the current administration. The hate didn’t stop there, regardless of the insulting and vile names that many of these people used to label non-Trump supporters, there were actually jokes and comparisons to the ovens of Nazi Germany and the fate of the residents of Hiroshima… these are events that (should) have NO relevance to today’s incident.

The hatred that was spewed on his page included threats, physical threats, to his family and friends. There were also several postings insulting and threatening anyone who had “friended” the man on Facebook. Allegedly several screenshots were made of the friends list and sent to the FBI and other “interested groups”. A plea that had been posted on this man’s page to allow his “shocked family” to mourn was answered with more hate, name-calling, and threats.

Is this what our country has become? I am heartbroken. It doesn’t matter what our political persuasions are, WE ARE AMERICANS. This hatred and divisiveness is not what our country should stand for. We should all be celebrating the principles which our country was founded upon and living up to the ideals that the many who have come before us tried to instill:

Individual Liberty: The principle that each person is born with freedom from arbitrary or unjustified restraint.

Federalism: A system of dual sovereignty. ...

Limited Government: ...

Representative Government: ...

Private Property: ...

“All Men Are Created Equal”: ...

Separation of Powers/Checks and Balances:

Daily Prompt ~ Triumph ~ #MondayBlogs

I found a terrific writing site (thanks to my friend Sugana) — The Daily Post: Daily Prompts provides a NEW daily prompt every day to give every writer a way to put a spark in her/his creativity. I decided to join this group every so often...

Today's Prompt is TRIUMPH

The definition of Triumph: [noun] a great victory or achievement; [verb] achieve a victory; be successful

It’s a hard thing for many of us to acknowledge our successes, our triumphs. So many of us lack the ability to see ourselves as successful and worthy. One of the professions that is often known for wearing our self-doubts is that of a writer. …yours truly is a writer, a novelist and journalist.

When I find myself in a funk and I need encouragement I can nudge people close to me and wrangle compliments from their lips to feed my fragile ego, but then I feel bad that I’ve gone “fishing”. Something else I do, especially late at night when it just wouldn’t be right to telephone someone just for a little ego soothing, is make a list of any and all things I’ve done that I am proud about. Maybe I am just being kind to myself but I often come up with a lengthy list (and no I am not posting it, bragging is not something I am comfortable with).

Now I don’t know if others would agree with the things I feel some success about — I know for a fact that not everyone holds the same values that I do. Surely I would fall flat if someone only looks at a stunning figure or the grand dame of the manor; I really don’t care though because those values don’t impress me. I guess there is a bit of conceit in that I do not do the things I do to impress others, I do something because I feel it is the right thing to do and hopefully benefits those around me.

I see value in family relationships and the respect that a parent gets from his/her children. I see value in a long term marriage. I see value when someone gets up and keeps on going even after being struck down by some misfortune. And most of all I see value when someone has touched other lives to make them, even a little bit, better.

On my list I do have references to my marriage, my children and my writing. While I rarely get satisfaction from extolling my own virtues, I do very much enjoy a bit of bragging about my husband and my children, people that I truly admire and respect. 

My husband has always been determined, never takes the easy way if it isn’t the right way, he has always worked hard whether it’s a job or a personal quest, and he has always put his family first. My offspring have grown into remarkable human beings, both give of themselves to others, they are intelligent and capable.

Collectively as first responders and educators my husband and children have saved lives, comforted those in need, put out fires, and given others the means to do the same. And it always seems whatever these people decide to tackle, they have a can do attitude that always comes through. More than anything each one of them CARES. I can only hope that they take at least a little pride in me, it would truly be only a portion of what I feel for them.

Not every accomplishment is earth shattering, few will be considered newsworthy. But each accomplishment is our own whether we wish to brag or stay quiet

What are you proud of today?

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Daily Prompt ~ Distance ~ #MondayBlogs

I found a terrific writing site (thanks to my friend Sugana) — The Daily Post: Daily Prompts provides a NEW daily prompt every day to give every writer a way to put a spark in her/his creativity. I decided to join this group every so often...

Today's Prompt is DISTANT

Definition of Distant: [adjective] far away in space or time, "distant parts of the world". synonyms: faraway, far off, far, far-flung, remote, out of the way, outlying, extrasolar, "distant parts of the world"; long ago, bygone, olden; ancient, prehistoric; literary of yore, olden, "the distant past"; away, off, apart, "half a mile distant".

What does the word DISTANT make me think of? Distant memories come to mind.

There’s the distant memory of a mother’s comforting kisses whenever a boo-boo made my child-self cry, or her comforting embrace when teenage angst seemed like the most tragic thing in the world. There’s also the distant memory of my father being able to fix anything in the world no matter how shattered the toy might be. As I reached my teenage years and entered adulthood my dad always managed to say exactly the things I needed to hear. I was just a newlywed when my parents passed away and I do miss those memories.

Now as an adult reaching my golden years with my own grown offspring I think back to every time I tried to sooth their aches, whether physical or in the heart, and wondered if my hugs and kisses were as magical as my parents’ were. And though they are now adults and more-or-less have no need of mom and dad to fix their problems, they are still my kids and always will be. Every time they make a turn that I want to give some advice about I go back to those distant memories and wonder what my dad would have said. Luckily most times I think at least twice and try to keep my mouth shut. I wonder if my children will one day have distant memories of those times that I didn’t meddle?

Life is made up of distant memories that influence all of our actions today and tomorrow. Distant memories can seem so sweet, some tug at the heart, and others that once felt so monumental now seem so insignificant. Our memories can sustain us and guide us and maybe sometimes embarrass us… but I wouldn’t trade those distant memories, those are my keepsakes forever.

Daily Prompt ~ Radiate ~ #MondayBlogs

I found a terrific writing site (thanks to my friend Sugana) — The Daily Post: Daily Prompts provides a NEW daily prompt every day to give every writer a way to put a spark in her/his creativity. I decided to join this group every so often...

Today's Prompt is RADIATE

Definition of RADIATE: emit (energy, especially light or heat) in the form of rays or waves.  "the hot stars radiate energy"  synonyms:   emit, give off, give out, discharge, diffuse.

My husband has taken to watching a show about superheroes lately (based on comic book characters from his childhood) and I’ve gotten drawn into the plot. I don’t think anyone can help but fantasize about how we would use these extraordinary superpowers if we had the chance.

Where would I direct my rays? Who would be served if I could channel waves of energy?

As a wife and mom I would have to say I would certainly radiate everything good I could muster towards my husband and children. Perhaps I could take a superhero name like “The Good Vibes Gal” and cloak my loved ones in layers of protection, happiness and of course my love. There would never be illness, danger, negative attitudes, or heartbreak.

I realize though that I already belong to a family of superheroes with years of volunteer and paid first response, educators in life saving skills, selfless attention towards helping those in need, and spreading caring to all they come in contact with.

My husband, among his many skills, has been a CPR Instructor for years. He once said to me that with every student he teaches his “fingers reach out”; indeed there was an ambulance call shortly after one of his classes where I encountered a recent student (I volunteered with my local ambulance as an EMT) — this student had just successfully revived a young patient whose heart had stopped, she admitted to me how she had “heard” my husband’s voice coaching her as she administered CPR. He definitely radiated his talents!

My husband and our offspring (separately) instructed other health providers and first responders and each student they trained and put out on the street saved many lives radiating each of their efforts and knowledge. Our children (from birth and marriage) have saved lives, put out fires (literally), delivered babies, soothed tears, and so much more. They’ve impacted so many other lives in ways that affect whole families and communities. Once again the touch radiates.

Is it any wonder that I feel I live in a family of superheroes? But I still yearn to be able to have my own power specifically to protect these wonderful people I love so much. I want to send out a wave of protective cloaks and hugs. I want this superpower to radiate energy and good vibes.