The 2010 Romance Roundup for Stories is Over

[poet1108]

Dear Roustabout Roy: Your comments are taken to heart and for this write, the words simply filled the page once I had Kevin's support to use his Irish name. And it continues to be my prayer that we each say to Kevin, like Katelyn did to Barney, "Come on! Get Up! You can do it! You can walk!" Once more Kevin will undergo the knife, this time at the hands of a plastic surgeon as she creates more padding on the stump so he indeed can wear his prosthesis and walk!.....Surgery is scheduled this week, before Valentine's Day.......KayD

[isobelle]

Every poets dream ~

Does a poet ever become sick of writing about the one and only muse which is constant? To me she is majestic, well written and holds enchantment and so much love. She knows us all, she watches us through days and nights. Sometimes she is a fraction of her glorious self, other times she sits full and proud amongst her faithful subjects which light her path. She wears veils of the finest muslin and a halo of pure gold.
On a particular night a very special someone promised her to me.
‘I’ll give you the moon’, he said.
My heart melted into red roses and only when I caught my conscience on one of its thorns did I look up to see my prize. Our eyes met in the same place at the same time, only they were reflected on the moons face as she shone down and my eyes grew round with amazement. He had indeed given me the moon! How did I know? She was no longer crescent, full nor a quarter. She sat in the sky now shy with a slight blush surrounded by her twinkling subjects who shared this new celestial phenomenon! The world fell quiet, the stars gathered, a billion eyes saw my gift from the man I loved. I waited patiently for the dream to be over, to wake and laugh at the concept. I ran down stairs and out into the night, stood on the rustic bench like it would somehow take me closer to the beauty above me. It was true and it was real. Dreams happened if you wished hard enough. Two tears one after another, one for me and one for my love. The rose coloured vision blurred for only a second then cleared . There sat my heart shaped moon!

Copyright ©2010KDP

[isobelle]

Gosh there is so much talent on this site and so many beautiful people. The stories I have read have touched my heart and in some cases brought tears! I love it here, thank you so much for inspiring and for giving confidence and teaching so much, hugs and much love, sincerely, Issy xxxx

[poet1108]

Dear Issy, your write, Every Poet's Dream, most concisely, whether we have had loves and lost 'em, shows us the value of still holding onto that dream. Thank you for posting this write and I, too, concur with you, so much talent has risen above the surface, giving inspiration, confidence, and a wealth of learning....Am so glad you are one of us.....KayD

[Peggy Carpenter Harwood]

Hi Kay,

Wow! You certainly do know your American history as well as your Spanish!! Thanks for sharing with us!!! The twins certainly were lucky to have a bilingual and multi-talented grandmother, and we here on the site are lucky to have you!!! Great story!!!!



Peggy

[poet1108]

Thanks, Peggy, for your comments! Los Colores was created initially to help my 1st grade step-grandson learn his colors in both English and Spanish, and yes, he adopted the 1st Los Colores as his own. And my growing up years from late summer 1947 to high school graduation in 1960 was living in Mesilla and graduating from the 8th grade at the Mesilla School and being transported by bus to high school. Many celebrations of the signing of the Gadsden Purchase took place on the plaza across from San Albino's Catholic Church, now a historic site also. The plaza has now over the years culminated in multiple gift stores to attract visitors. The church bells still ring and how I miss hearing them. Ah! The memories! and yes, older we grow......KayD

[Wordworx]

Now here we have two brief, but incredibly emotive stories! One dream-like and enormously appealing in the fashion of its portrayal, and one child-like yet brimming with innocence and emotive overtones!

(Again I say: I'm glad I'm not judging these challenges this time! )

Both of you ladies are marvels in your own right, to be able to pen such delightful works as these. (And Isobelle, I just had to put something together for your fantasy-tale. The girl and the moon are real, although cropped a bit. I hope you don't mind.)

Wide-eyed Woy

[poet1108]

Dear Wide-eyed Woy: Again, I say thank you for your supportive words to both Isobelle and to me. And I am so grateful also for your creative talents in being able to do the artwork.....that visualization just seem to add to the words Isobelle was painting.....and while you keep saying you are not judging these challenges this time.....for us who are, do we have some guidelines to follow.....our days are getting closer and the entries are increasing.....KayD

[Joyful Jan]

I can't agree with Roy and Peggy more. The stories keep coming in and they just get better and better. Yes, Roy is there a guideline of some sort we need to follow or do we just follow our hearts??? Great going everyone !!!!!

Hugs Jan

[Peggy Carpenter Harwood]

Hi Kay,

Sounds like love certainly was expressed around Katie although it was love put into action rather than love put into words. If I had to choose one way only, I'd choose action myself. Maybe that's because of the old adage "Actions speak louder than words."

Very heart-warming!!

Peggy

[poet1108]

Dear Peggy,

And in Katie's case (actually mine) those actions did speak louder than words....and as a PS to my mom--while she did push aside any gestures of love for her, after my dad's demise and just as I was turning 50, she sent me a card in which she wrote, "I Love You." That card is a treasured possession! Thank you for taking the time to read and for being the loving person you are.....

KayD

[Helen Herliana]

A lovely love story of Katie's older generations. Though their love was not spoken verbally, it's no less beautiful and romantic at the same time. Happy Valentine Kay.... always remember that you are loved.

[Joyful Jan]

Dear KayD.

This is a beautiful write, but they is sadness in it too. Yes, actions do speak much louder than words. But, every child needs to hear that they are loved. I have always known that you are Katie. I understand much more why now, than I did before. Sometimes we need to distance ourselves from a memory in order to be able to see it clearly and sometimes to be able to face it at all. Just like when I wrote the story about Nicole. I have been thinking about posting the story of Nicole here?

Hugs and Love Jan

[poet1108]

Dear Jan:

So grateful I am to those who were psychologists working in the field of behavioral health with me. From them, both directly and indirectly, I learned many answers to the unanswered "whys" in my own life. And it was from sharing my writes with them that through their constructive criticism that "Katie" appeared so that the writes could be shared. We have often been told "to everything there is a season," and as disconcerting for me to emotionally be in that field, it was where my greatest lessons about stepping from the world of fantasy and into the world of life's reality were learned. How many times over since leaving that work have I truly been blessed with the gift of understanding. Your love and friendship continue to be treasured as well.

KayD

[Joyful Jan]

~NICOLE'S STORY~



There was once a young lady, by the name of Nicole, who had very bad teeth. When she was only 23 years old, she had to have all of her top teeth pulled. There were several reasons for this. Before she was born her mom did not have the proper food or vitamins that she needed. Nor, did she have doctor check-ups as she should have had, through no fault of her own.

After Nicole was born, her mom many times did not have enough milk to give to Nicole. Many times she would have to add a lot of extra water to the milk, as there was nothing else that she could do. As Nicole grew, she was not provided with the necessary tools to take proper care of her teeth. When she became a teenage, as many teens do, she drank soda and ate candy. However, by the time she was 14, she had started taking care of her teeth herself and had starting brushing. But unfortunately, much damage had already been done to her teeth. So, they had to be pulled. She had top dentures, by the time she was only 23.

Nicole had a very difficult time in wearing them. She took them back to the dentist several times. He worked on them to see if he could get them to where Nicole could wear them. She was what the dentist called, a gagger. He said, that he could not make her any that she could wear, without gagging her. But for appearance sake and for her family she continued to wear them for five years. One day, Nicole had all of the gagging that she could stomach, so she put the denture in a drawer, and never wore it again.

Nicole had 3 children, but they were so young when she lost her teeth, they did not really remember her when she had top teeth. If any of them were ever ashamed of her, not one child ever told her or showed it. Their love for their mom was great.

Nicole, never let the fact that she had no top teeth keep her from doing whatever it was that the Lord wanted her to do. She taught Sunday School for many years and sang in the choir. And, at some churches, she would lead the song service, especially when there was no one else to do it. At one church that she attended, she was asked to be the youth director. She would have to be in complete charge of the Friday night service. She did not think that she could do that. But, she agreed to pray about it.

Nicole had been embarrassed many times because of her lack of top teeth. But, she hardly ever told anyone about how she felt. The Lord had sacrificed so much for her on the cross and blessed her life in so many ways; that she never wanted to fail Him.

She did agree to go ahead and be the youth director. After a few months, one night she told the group there, about how she felt about her lack of top teeth. One of the little girls there was a child that Nicole sometimes baby-sat, so she knew her well.

When Terri, the little girl heard Nicole's story, she was surprised. She being a child and not thinking, said loud enough for everyone to hear, "I didn't know that, I didn't know!"

That really surprised Nicole, she wondered how could anyone not know? Later, Terri told Nicole, "I never knew, but it would not have mattered; I love you anyway."

Ah! the innocence and pure love of a little child. Terri,
was 5 years old. Children see the love in a person's heart, they don't see the flaws in a person’s body.

Those were words that Terri told Nicole thirty years ago. Nicole still doesn't have any top teeth and she is still serving her Lord everyday. The dentists of today, could now make her teeth that she can wear; however, the price is too great, over $20,000.

Being the day and age that it is, Nicole now has a computer and has made many wonderful Christian friends on the Internet. She really did not know very much about cyberspace, and was very leery of it. She had no plans of ever going into a chat room or of joining a forum.

Then a young friend who lives in her town, which amazing enough was also a child, asked her for her e-mail address. Trusting her, Nicole gave it to her. After a few weeks, her 7-year old friend, Heather sent her a link to a very beautiful Christian poetry web-site. Nicole had never read anything as beautiful before, other than her Bible.

Other similar links were sent to her by Heather. Soon Nicole was looking for more on her own. She read lots of poems that she liked, but was not sure about sending the authors comments as they invited everyone to do. One day, she read a poem that she really liked and sent a comment to the lady that wrote it. The poet was very kind to her, and they soon became friends. She started commenting on a few other poetic writes. Soon she had made friends with several other Christian poets.

One night she and one of the friends she had made, were chatting back and forth by way of e-mails. In a short while he sent her a message about a mutual friend of their's that had just posted an urgent prayer request, as he was in much pain. Nicole's friend sent her a link to the site where she could read his request. After reading it, she very much wanted to post a prayer for him. But, she quickly found that she could not, without first joining the forum there. Without hesitation, and not being at all aware of how that one decision would change her life, she joined the site that night.

Most of Nicole's friends on the Internet are not aware that she does not have any top teeth. They are really wonderful Christian people and Nicole loves them all very much. Lately, Nicole has started to feel like she has not been honest with her friends. She has not out and out lied to them, but she has keep the fact that she has no top teeth from them. She has started to wonder, is it pride?

She truly wants to be humble before her Lord, and honest with her friends that she loves. But, to tell them when it is not necessary, could she do that? Would you do that? Nicole started to feel like she is hiding behind her keyboard because of pride.

Have you started to think about this story? The farther along it goes, does it start to sound like someone you might know? Who is Nicole? Nicole is me!

This is my story. This is Janice Jeanette Kennedy's story.
I was born without any teeth and I will probably die without any, but I will lovingly serve my Father God, until the day I do!!!

Before I joined a forum, I would not have attempted to write any kind of poem or story. I want to thank all of you who have encouraged me to write and to keep on writing. You have all changed my life in so many ways, that you will never know. I am a better person for having you in my life. I do not consider myself a good writer, but if I have in anyway, helped or encouraged any of you, I am thankful for that. And, I do enjoy trying to write. If I had the choice to make again today, knowing everything that I know now, would I do it again? You, bet I would and again I would not hesitate for a second.

I have heard it said that eating crow is hard to do.
I am here to tell you, that swallowing your pride is difficult too.

Yes, Nicole is the only made-up name in this story. The others are true…and like you, my dear reader, the love of God within me allows me especially on this soon to be Valentine’s Day, to share the truth and my love with you.


Love and Blessing Joyful Jan





This photo was taken on Thanksgiving day, 2008