tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-200201082024-03-07T07:55:32.202-10:00Nice Little StoriesOver the years I've been writing short little stories for my own pleasure and for the amusement of friends and family and now I'd like to share a few of them with you.Robert Shapirohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15834558788450735235noreply@blogger.comBlogger56125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20020108.post-63734791700702817332022-12-29T15:58:00.000-10:002022-12-29T15:58:20.390-10:00123 Steps<p> <span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 19px;">123 Steps to the Parking Lot. He’d counted it every day and today he was excited. “I’m going to be able to lay the last 3 steps,” he thought.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 19px;"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 23px;">He thought about it again, he’d been asked to finish the walkway down to the parking lot. It was really something that was well beyond the scope of his job’s duties but he took it on as a challenge because Joe, the man who had his job before him had been asked to do this and couldn’t finish it before he retired.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 23px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Joe did leave notes, which he appreciated, as a way to keep track of the job. The steps had to be stone or some kind of poured concrete topped with tile with non-slip rubber inserts for safety.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 23px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The steps weren’t pretty but they were sturdy. He knew, even after finishing the steps, that it would be necessary to put a handrail in but that would be the easy part because it would be made with pipe. His plan was to finish the pipe before he installed it so he could install it in sections.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 23px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Since he planned to finish the staircase that day he had all the supplies and parts set up there with a walk around pathway and a sign in big red letters - Construction Zone.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 23px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">“Uh-oh, there she comes,” he thought. Every time he saw her he was reminded of a sailing ship in full blown sail. She arrived as if a trumpet was playing to announce her. She always glared at him even though she was the one who originally demanded that the staircase be improved.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>He said, as always, “Good morning miss,” even though her age was indeterminate with her grey hair quite obvious under her hat.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 23px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">At the end of his day he was able to lay the final step and it was done. The next day was a holiday so the school was closed but he had been asked to put in the rail and he would be paid extra.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 23px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">He had already put in the bases for the rail and it would be easy enough for him to install the whole thing that day as he had already finished all the parts.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 23px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">The next morning, earlier than usual because it wasn’t really part of his job but he wanted to claim an unwritten construction tradition. The standard was if you had completed a long difficult job building or creating something you were allowed to sign it.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 23px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">He had left a small inset space in the last step for a metal medallion that had the logo of the school on it. In very small writing he had etched his own signature: Staircase and rail by Rudy.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 23px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">As he was finishing fastening it, there she came in full sail as always but this time as he stood up and greeted her, “Good morning miss,” with a little smile as was his fashion she broke into a big smile and said, “What a wonderful staircase you have created. Something that makes life easier and more pleasant even though it would have been nice if they had created the parking lot at the level of the school.”</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 23px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">He nodded and said, “ Yes ma’am. that would have been a better idea.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>“But still,” she said, “this staircase is a monument to the diligence of man and you are the person that carried that out.”</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 23px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">She came over, patted him on the shoulder and walked up the staircase like a queenly person that he felt she somehow was in her heritage because of her behaviors.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 23px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">He didn’t know how to describe it but he felt rewarded in a way that seemed to lift him up.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 23px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">As he started up the staircase he felt like he could run up even though he knew at his age, 72, he shouldn’t. What a wonderful thing he thought to himself, a smile, a pat on the back and a feeling of being rewarded. This is something that could be good for us all and walked on to work feeling much better then ever.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 23px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">——————————</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">May it be big things or small things, a pat on the back and a “well done” might just make the world a little better whether giving or receiving.</p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 19px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Goodlife to you all.</p>Robert Shapirohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15834558788450735235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20020108.post-82084409477234983142021-12-20T13:14:00.001-10:002021-12-21T06:08:18.286-10:00A Surprising New Friend<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhNfEZqJcaTf4xTFp76Wgj0jELEwaTfoybzKuNxmj9alAdTvftosmXWEjXQC549k0drEjeCM2Xb-gc3EevZWovqD41b1a-TTwC1cSzJHx24bn26XsGLVvPNGgYYpFaFFziIOORJw/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1022" data-original-width="1276" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhNfEZqJcaTf4xTFp76Wgj0jELEwaTfoybzKuNxmj9alAdTvftosmXWEjXQC549k0drEjeCM2Xb-gc3EevZWovqD41b1a-TTwC1cSzJHx24bn26XsGLVvPNGgYYpFaFFziIOORJw/" width="300" /></a></div><br /> <span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Sparky shuffled down the path he’d traveled so many times before. It was a heavily shaded winding trail that he often chose because the trees were very tall and he liked that. There were also places where the sun shined through that were nice and warm. He would stop there usually and have a snack or even his whole lunch. He always packed in a little extra food for this nice long hike. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"> He shuffled carefully down the path through the dark parts of the forest and then through to the light parts. He wasn’t hungry yet so he didn’t stop at the light sunny parts. He got to another dark part of the forest where the trees were very thick and heavy and suddenly he saw something he’d never seen before. It was a small light floating in the air. It was about the size of a candle flame and it even flickered like one.</span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 29px;"> Of course he stopped. It wasn’t exactly in his path but it was close enough to him so that it seemed like it was almost being…well…friendly he thought, and so without thinking he found himself softly saying, “Hello.” The candle flame, as he thought of it now, nodded and remained where it was.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 29px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 29px;"> With such an extraordinary event Sparky wondered how far this could go and so softly said, “Could you talk to me, I mean in my language?” Suddenly a loud friendly voice erupted from Candle Flame,“Hello!” Sparky stepped back a little bit and Candle Flame quickly said, “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to speak so loudly.” Thus was started their unusual friendship.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 29px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 29px;"> Sparky sat down on a log just to the side of the trail. He decided maybe this would be a good place to rest. Having a polite nature he quickly invited Candle Flame to rest near him.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 29px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 29px;"> Sparky loved unusual and different people, places and things so his meeting with Candle Flame was a happy moment. He was excited to see how far they could go in what he hoped could be like meeting someone from another world.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 29px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 29px;"> Sparky said, “I haven’t noticed you here before.” Candle Flame said, “I felt like there was something or someone that needed me. Do you know who?”</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 29px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 29px;"> Sparky said, “No, I wasn’t thinking that I needed a candle flame at this time but it is nice. You are providing a nice glowing light that isn’t usually here and I like that.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 29px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 29px;"> Candle Flame formed a smile with a slight chuckle and said, “My feeling is similar. I feel that it was a nice thing for you but I feel this glowing light is needed in some other way. This is what I think”, Candle Flame said, “I believe that in your world there are a lot of people and places and a lot of variety. There are other beings - trees of course but also beings you call animals that in other places would just be considered other forms of people.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 29px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 29px;"> Candle Flame stopped for a moment and Sparky thought about it. He said, “I’ve always thought of animals as other forms of people so that makes sense to me.”</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 29px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 29px;"> Candle Flame went on, “I feel that if called upon I could help to illuminate the darker corners where people don’t <i>see things as they are</i> as compared to what impressions they might have because they can’t see into those places just like if you look off to the sides you can’t see what’s going on in the forest but there’s lots of things, lots of other beings and life is happening in a big way. You just can’t see it.”</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 29px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 29px;"> Sparky pondered that for a moment and said, “I never thought about it that way but that makes sense.”</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 29px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> Candle Flame continued, “I feel I have a mission here but I don’t see how I can accomplish it. Can you help?” Sparky considered that and then said, “What do you feel is your mission? ”</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 29px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> Candle Flame answered, “I feel that there are places in peoples hearts that need to be illuminated so they can also see with their hearts and feel what is happening in their lives even when they cannot see all they need to see with their eyes.”</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 29px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> Sparky thought about that for a moment, “Do you mean like noticing things with instinct? I use my instinct a lot when I’m hiking. I pay attention to my feelings because sometimes a trail just isn’t right for me so I take another one.”</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 29px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> Candle Flame formed a gentle smile and went on, “I feel that these times here on Earth need to have yes, instinct, you’re right but also there needs to be love. I know you cannot love every individual but you can have an overview with instinct and love. I feel that there may be people here who know how to do this and there are also people here, called animals, who know how to do this.” Candle Flame paused for a moment.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 29px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> “Oh yes,” Sparky said, “…my dog absolutely knows how to do that. If I’ve had a hard day my dog can cheer me up just by being herself and jumping around being playful. She’ll want me to go outside and play with her and pretty soon I’m happy. My cat is like that too. She’ll look at me and slowly wink and that always makes me smile. Of course it’s the same when Mom and Dad hug me. And also when my girlfriend gives me a hug. That feels especially good.” Sparky smiled at that thought.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 29px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> Candle Flame formed a smile in the air and chuckled slightly, “So you do understand. That’s what it takes and I think that I’m going to travel around and try to inspire people with your message as well as my own. If you don’t mind I’m going to use some of your words. Can I quote you?”</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 29px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> It was Sparky’s turn to chuckle then. He laughed and said, “Absolutely, go ahead.”</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 29px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> Candle Flame said, “You might see me sometime in the sky as a moving light. Sometimes I’ll go quickly or you might see me just around the corner as a flash of light or you might just see me in a dream. If you do, I’ll be there to inspire you with what we talked about today.”</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 29px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> “I’d like that”, said Sparky. “And I like it too,” Candle Flame added. They both smiled together in a moment of happiness.</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 29px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">——————</p><p class="p2" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 29px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"> May you all have many happy smiles, a happy holiday time and a most benevolent New Year. Goodlife</p>Robert Shapirohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15834558788450735235noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20020108.post-41785270044083004572021-11-16T10:06:00.000-10:002021-11-16T10:06:47.743-10:00<p> Have you seen the new <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Nice-Little-Stories-Robert-Shapiro-ebook/dp/B09B27P3PS/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=Nice+Little+Stories&qid=1637090286&qsid=147-5126977-3464464&s=books&sr=1-3&sres=B09B27P3PS%2C1448640199%2C1775183319%2C1623368839%2C0316111538%2C170487985X%2C1948040077%2C098449393X%2CB093RMYJM2%2CB097DP2WW6%2C0973410450%2CB09FS72RCS%2CB08DSTHKQB%2CB09KN45MBB%2C0062964615%2C1735113018&srpt=ABIS_BOOK">Nice Little Stories book</a>? It's based on the stories here in a book format. I hope you like it.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvNenOTxm_DSaxlWXedx3reI_dKV4H_298QfcaKx7dB_OGWbSFslW_9fGnuNPrInZNvlbBDiM6lu6Q7JVg2A0qAmqVQ4ubJOO83_oIPkUKg_DOWALpYTELbEI4iNefF_asM01e9Q/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="652" data-original-width="428" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvNenOTxm_DSaxlWXedx3reI_dKV4H_298QfcaKx7dB_OGWbSFslW_9fGnuNPrInZNvlbBDiM6lu6Q7JVg2A0qAmqVQ4ubJOO83_oIPkUKg_DOWALpYTELbEI4iNefF_asM01e9Q/" width="158" /></a></div><br /><p></p>Robert Shapirohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15834558788450735235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20020108.post-25779708359893113502020-02-10T17:15:00.000-10:002020-02-10T17:15:02.017-10:00When Trails Cross<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: small;">Well, it was Valentine’s Day and that’s when they had met, he and his wife, and even though she had passed away 10 years ago, every Valentine’s Day he took the hike where they had met. So with a smile, he proceeded to the trail.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">He placed his feet very carefully on the trail. There was a lot of loose stones and sand in places so he had to be <i>very</i> careful as he hiked down into the canyon.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">It was a warm day, so he rolled his sleeves up to enjoy it but he kept his hat on because it was also very bright at that time of day there.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">As he went down the trail it switched back and forth so it wasn’t too steep. It was fairly wide and deeper in the middle which he appreciated because it lent a sense of there being a safety ridge on the sides so that there wasn’t much chance of falling off the edge which he appreciated a great deal.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">He had hiked the mountains for years and years and he was getting on in his age but he still loved to do it. At this time of his life he used a walking stick and from time to time would brace himself on it or would dig it into the ground just a little bit so that he could get a firm hold on his next step and lean against the stick.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">As he got near the bottom he appreciated the beautiful stream that was running there. Suddenly he heard a little sound off to his left. He looked over and there was a lady sitting on a rock. He noticed that she was eating a sandwich and he mumbled to himself, “I wonder, this would be rather bold.” But he had a sandwich too and he went over and introduced himself very politely and said, “Hello, my name is Dominick and do you mind if I share this rock?” She replied, “No, certainly. Sit down. Nice to have company. My name is Donna.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">He sat down and took out his sandwich and started eating it. He also had a apple and a pear. So when he got done with his sandwich and she did too he offered the pear to her and she said, “Oh, isn’t that funny. I also brought an apple and and a pear. Since you gave me your pear maybe you’d like mine.” He laughed and accepted her offer.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">The time of day was quite early still. It was about 11:00 o’clock but since they were in a canyon they knew they would have to get up out of there by at least 4:00 o’clock or it could get dark in a hurry. Sundown in a canyon happens early.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">After their lunch and pleasant conversation he asked her if she was taking the same trail up that he had taken down and she said, “No. I’m taking this other trail. It’s a little steeper but I like it better. He said, “Oh, I know that trail.” So she said, “Why don’t you join me?”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">And so he did and up the trail they went slowly but surely stoping to rest along the way because they were both getting on in years but they enjoyed their hike and eventually they got to the point of the trail that had an overlook and from there you could see not only the whole canyon in both directions but very far to mountains all around. The spectacular beauty of it all was enthralling.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Quietly he said, “This must be magnificent in the morning when the sun’s coming up,” and she replied softly, “Oh yes, it is I assure you.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">He asked, “You’ve come here often?” “Yes,” she said, “I have a little cabin just up at the top.” “Oh,” he said, “I’ve seen that cabin so many times and always wondered who lived in it.” She smiled and said said, “Well, it’s me!”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">They continued on up the hill with the trail twisting, at this point, back and forth and not as steep as it was so that it was easier going and they could walk steadily. They got to the top and they both rested a bit on a log that was there for that purpose.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">They got to talking. She asked, “Well, where do you live?” He answered, “You know where the other trail is?” She said, “Yes, yes.” “And at the top of that trail,” he continued, “if you walk down the hill there’s an old house that’s near the Italian restaurant - have you seen that one?” “She said, “Oh my, is that the one with all the gingerbread carving on the wood around it?” He said, “Yes, yes, you’ve seen it.” She said, “Oh, I’ve walked past that house hundreds of times.” And they laughed at their similar experiences. She said, “Why don’t you come up on the porch and we’ll have a lemonade.” And so they did.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Well, one thing led to another and before long they were seeing each other, becoming great friends and enjoying each others company.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">She’d had a long marriage and raised several children but her husband had passed away many years ago and the children were grown up and lived a little ways away but they would still come and visit her when they could.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">He had been married as well and his wife had also passed away quite a few years before and so they felt it was fate that they should meet at this time of their lives.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">One day they had planned to go to the Italian restaurant so he walked up to her place, not as far as he had to walk the first time they met. There was a back trail from his house to her little cabin and they walked down from her place to the restaurant<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>together.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">He paused thoughtfully for a moment and said, “You know, we’ve been seeing each other for about a year now. Why don’t we make it permanent”. She smiled and said, “I’d love to.” And so they did.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">May you all enjoy pleasant surprises and good times. Happy Valentine’s Day!</span></div>
<br />Robert Shapirohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15834558788450735235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20020108.post-33196432736041079462019-12-27T20:02:00.000-10:002019-12-27T20:07:55.304-10:00Tripping Over Time<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: small;">2019 Year asked, “Have they delivered the new year yet?” “No! They keep doing that crazy thing,” Time Boss answered. “What crazy thing,” 2019 asked. “You remember, I told you,” Time Boss answered impatiently. “I… I forgot. You know, as 2019 my recollection is slowly slipping away.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Grumbling, Time Boss answered, “They keep delivering 2018!” Startled, 2019 said, “What?” “Yes,” Time Boss answered almost in disbelief. “Don’t they realize I’m here as 2019?” “Apparently not,” Time Boss said. “And they keep delivering 2018,” 2019 repeated feeling astounded. “They keep delivering it. What are we going to do with them, they seem to be behind the time,” Time Boss said unintentionally saying something funny. 2019 turned away for a moment and smiled but turned back quickly to respond, “They certainly do. What can we do about 2020? Should we remind them?” “You mean for the 5th time,” Time Boss said grumpily. Joining into Time Boss’ exasperation 2019 sighed, “Well, what then?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Speaking more thoughtfully. Time Boss said, “We have to show them. 2020 is still in its egg. Of course it’s very fragile since it’s going to hatch out soon but, and this would be a calculated risk, maybe we could find it and bring it over to them. What do you think?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>“That sounds like a big risk. What if we trip over it and break it open before I have a chance to finish 2019?”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>“Oh, life as a digit, it’s not easy,” Time Boss sighed. “No one said it would be,” 2019 said gently. “I know, I know but no one said we could be digit-less some time either,” Time Boss answered feeling overwhelmed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>2019 suddenly perked up and said, “I think I’ve got it.” “Okay, let’s hear it,” Time Boss said hopefully. “I think we have to sing,” 2019 responded. “What,” Time Boss asked looking baffled.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>2019 went on to explain, “Yes, I think we have to sing. We’ve been making a mistake. We’ve been using words, just talking. I think if we get together and sing - you know like happens at the end of the year when people sing.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>“Oh, yes…,” said Time Boss, “…you think that’ll get their attention?” “Well, you know, everybody loves music,” 2019 answered. “You’re right, you’re right. Okay well, what shall we do,” Time Boss asked. “Well…,” 2019 explained, “…sidle over to me.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Moving over to 2019 Time Boss said, “Okay, hows that?” “Okay,” 2019 responded, “Now let’s sing.” “What are the words,” Time Boss asked. 2019 began and Time Boss joined in: “Hello, we love you. We want you to welcome our friend. Hello, we love you. We love our friend. Hello, we love you. Welcome 2020. Hello, we love you. 2020 loves you too.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>“Okay, we did that. That was wonderful,” Time Boss said gratefully and went on to say, “I guess it’s up to me to send it.” “Yes, yes I think so. They expect to hear from you,” 2019 responded. “Okay,” Time Boss agreed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The next day they received a pleasant surprise and that was a gift. A little gift wrapped in a box and a beautiful ribbon around it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>2019 asked, “What do you think it might be?” “I don’t know,” Time Boss answered. 2019 continued, “Who’s it addressed to?” “Well, it came to our department,” Time Boss replied again. “So I guess you could open it then,” 2019 said. “Alright, I will,” Time Boss said.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Time Boss opened it up and it was a tiny baby bassinet and on the bottom of the bassinet was a delicate looking little egg. “For heaven’s sake. Have you seen the 2020 egg today,” Time Boss asked. “No, I haven’t,” 2019 answered. “Neither have I,” Time Boss mused, “Do you think they recognized that 2020 is real?” With hopeful enthusiasm 2019 answered, “Yes!” Time Boss whispered, “Do you think that could be it?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>2019 leaned down, “You know, I hear something stirring in there.” “Oh, That must be it! What a relief,” Time Boss sighed. They embraced. “You were so right about music,” said Time Boss. 2019 smiled and said, “I heard something too.” What did you hear,” Time Boss asked. 2019 smiled peacefully and responded, “I heard a little voice singing - 2020 loves you.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">—————————— ———————————</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">2020 likes music too. Why don’t you welcome it with a song. Goodlife</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="s1">Photo is </span><span class="s2" style="font-size: small;">©️ </span></span><span class="s1"><span style="font-size: small;">B. Kim Barnes, used with permission and can be found at: </span><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/kimbar/49124940822/in/album-72157712003801288/"><span class="s3" style="font-size: x-small;">https://www.flickr.com/photos/kimbar/49124940822/in/album-72157712003801288/</span></a></span></div>
<br />Robert Shapirohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15834558788450735235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20020108.post-39258305985302723842019-12-10T19:06:00.000-10:002019-12-10T19:09:02.171-10:00Helpful Visitor<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Glenn’s car slid slowly down the hill. It was a dirt and gravel road that he had taken many times but the trouble with an ice storm, which was not a very strong one but passed by recently, was that it didn’t have to leave much ice on the road for it to be slippery and you really couldn’t see it very well.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>So his car slid from one side of the road to the other but fortunately it was an old car and as it bumped off the berms on the sides of the road a bit, it would continue on down the road. He thought to himself in this long slow slide, “If there were cars parked here it would be a disaster but fortunately there isn’t any.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Suddenly a cat jumped up on the hood of his car and stared at him. Then the cat slowly blinked at him and jumped off. Before Glenn had a chance to wonder where the cat came from his car slid onto a section of the road that didn’t have any ice and came to a complete stop. His brakes which he had been gently applying were now effective.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>He breathed a sigh of relief, smiled and thought, “Whew! That was some slide. It got better when the passenger showed up though.” He wondered exactly how he was going to turn off at his friend Eida’s driveway. He could see it up ahead but there were some ups and downs on the icy road to come.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>He thought, “Practically nobody ever comes down this road so I’ll just wait.” He waited and as luck would have it the sun came out and warmed the road a bit. After about 20 minutes with nobody coming down that road since it was really like a long driveway that serviced a few old houses there, he slowly carefully proceeded to Eida’s driveway and turned off into her place.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>He got out and Eida was there at the door smiling at him. He walked over and said, “You know I love living out in the country but this is not the particular type of day that I look forward to.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>She looked at him and said, “Well you know, what did I tell you. I told you when you moved out here to park that fancy car and get an old beater car and you did. Aren’t you happy?” He turned around and looked at his car all mud stained and scratched on the side by gravel and he said, “I sure am. It runs fine but it looks terrible.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>She smiled and responded, “Well, that’s the kind of vehicle you need at this time of year and you can drive the nice one in the spring or summer if you feel like it.” Glenn smiled and said, “Well, are you going to invite me in or are you going to keep me freezing out here?” “Oh!”, she said. “Excuse me.” They both laughed and went in the house.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>“I hear, according to the news of the neighborhood, that you’ve got a bunch of new kittens, Glenn commented.” “It’s true,” she said, “and it was a complete surprise.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>“I didn’t even know you had a cat,” Glenn said. “I don’t have a cat,” she answered, “but I went out into the garage the other day and I heard this little mewing sound and I went over to where the hot water heater is and opened the door and there inside, and heaven knows how she managed to find her way in, was a momma cat and 4 baby kittens.” The momma cat looked up kinda of dreamy like and I said, ‘I don’t know how you got in but you’re welcome to stay.’”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Glenn said, “It’s not a gas flame thing is it?” Eida answered, “No, no, it’s electric and the walls that are surrounding the heater are really pretty well insulated but that’s because I’m trying to, you know, prevent heat loss.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>“Well it sounds like it makes a pretty good cat birthing place too but how did she get in there, you know? Show me how the door opens,” Glenn asked. “I don’t want to disturb her because she and the kittens sleep at this time of the day,” Eida responded. “Well, you don’t have to do that then,” Glenn answered.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>They both went out to the garage and they looked at the water heater enclosure. It was just a plain handle on the door, the kind that you stick your fingers through and pull and he said, “What keeps it shut?” She said, “It’s a spring magnetic thing.” “Oh, I wonder if she just knows how to open it?” Glenn mused.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>“Well if she knew how to open it she would have to jump up, put one paw on one side of the door frame and the other paw to pull on the door. You think she can do that?” Eida responded. “Well, you know, it’s possible,”Glenn answered.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>“Anyway she’s doin okay and I think I’m going to leave her for another day or so but I’m going to start putting some kind of food in there because she’s going to get hungry. Food and maybe water. Oh, I hear her moving around a bit. Maybe just crack the door a little Glenn and have a look”, Eida said.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Glenn opened the door just a tiny bit but couldn’t see a thing for a moment. Suddenly there was a cat face right at the slight door opening. Glenn jumped back for a moment and the door closed. “I’ll be doggoned”, he said, That’s the cat that jumped up on my car hood.” Glenn explained to Eida about his unexpected passenger that joined him for a moment at the bottom of the hill.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Eida said, “Wow! She is a special cat alright.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: small;">They both bent down and opened the door a little. The moment they did cat was right there and touched Eida with one front paw and Glenn with the other and looked into their eyes.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Eida and Glenn both heard a voice at the same time. The voice said, “I am Samba. I have come to remind you that what you both have wished for can be yours now. It is the right time to be together.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>And from that day forward, even before they were married, Samba would talk to them that way when they each needed to know what the other was thinking so they could be together in happiness and make choices that they both wanted but sometimes couldn’t quite express in words.</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: small;">——————————————————————</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: small;">Sometimes we might need a little nudge to help us to communicate better. Happy Holidays to you all!</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: small;">—————————————</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Detail of photo: Photo is <span class="s1">©️</span>B. Kim Barnes, used with permission and can be found at</span> <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/kimbar/31263059798/in/album-72157664596107402/"><span class="s2" style="font-size: xx-small;">https://www.flickr.com/photos/kimbar/31263059798/in/album-72157664596107402/</span></a></span></div>
<br />Robert Shapirohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15834558788450735235noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20020108.post-44382164623370538982019-11-22T16:35:00.000-10:002019-12-10T19:10:41.597-10:00Unexpected Friends<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBh3sOAQ-9MsZEG3q_qwh0qyLsocHzZYvMbSI3mA-iVfYMpDPJzQgpYFZo_O3YPmWOl1yxXz0wrRzeTmQIGLA6UQfBvzTKOubUDxP3vyB7-rKEaK_jHM7DZNG-QRixN3gnKxpQWg/s1600/Unex.+Friends+%2528kimbar+photo%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="708" data-original-width="858" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBh3sOAQ-9MsZEG3q_qwh0qyLsocHzZYvMbSI3mA-iVfYMpDPJzQgpYFZo_O3YPmWOl1yxXz0wrRzeTmQIGLA6UQfBvzTKOubUDxP3vyB7-rKEaK_jHM7DZNG-QRixN3gnKxpQWg/s320/Unex.+Friends+%2528kimbar+photo%2529.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div class="p1">
<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span style="font-size: small;">Reginald P. Watchemacallit. “What kind of a name was that,” he thought to himself, “What were they thinking!” His grandpa had told him that when his great great grand parents immigrated to the USA the people admitting and processing them on Ellis Island couldn’t understand their name because it was extra long and hard to pronounce. Also they were so rushed because there were so many people and so much work to do they just wrote down watchemacallit thinking that others would correct it in time but that never happened.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>He grumbled on his way home from school. It had been miserable since he got to school. At home it had just been kind of silly and fun when he was a little kid but <i>now</i> that he was going to school it was <i>completely</i> different.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>After people stopped laughing at his name they always asked what the P. stood for. It was just a nice simple name, Phillip but if they were making fun of him he would always say, “Phooey,” and yell it in their faces. That way it gave him some way to sort of strike back.</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>As he was walking he looked in the window of a sort of junk and antiques store called Bits and Pieces and saw an old electric typewriter with a sign, Doesn’t Work So Only $2.00. He enjoyed fixing things and knew immediately how to repair it. It was just an adjustment and no parts would be needed.</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>He went in the store to tell them he could fix it easy and then they could charge more for it but when he entered there was no one there. Just as he was about ready to leave he heard people talking loudly near a door he hadn’t noticed before.</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Suddenly the door swung open and a woman’s voice rang out, “Jeffrey P. Thingamading! You come right back here!”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>A kid about his age stepped partly out and spun back around facing the open doorway. He said, “Mom, I’m not going to wear that sweater with my name on it to school even if Grandma wove it special for me.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>He turned around the other way and noticed Reg for the first time. He said, “Oh, sorry. I didn’t see you. Hey, aren’t you the new kid in school. The other jerks in school said your name was ‘Phooey,’ Course I didn’t believe them.”</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Reg smiled and said, “I say that to them because they hassle me all the time because of my last name.” Jeff quickly replied and said, “ Oh, can’t be as bad as mine.” Reg shook his head and said, “It is. It’s Watchemacallit!”</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The boys stared at each other for a moment and then just shook their heads almost in disbelief that someone else was in the same situation that they were.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Jeff said, “Ellis Island, you too?” Reg nodded and said, “Finally, someone I can actually relate to.” Jeff smiled and said, “I think we’re going to be friends.”</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>One day when they were walking home from school together they joked about starting a club for kids with big names and the more they talked about it the more it seemed like a good idea.</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>They’d call it the Big Names Club and it would only be for kids who had big long names especially kids that were teased because of their names.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>And that was just exactly what they did. The Big Names Club was a big success. They made lots of new friends and were happy every day that they had a group they could go to and laugh about things and think about things and feel at home away from home.</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: small;">————————</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: small;">Happy Thanksgiving to you all. Goodlife</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span style="font-size: small;">-----------------------------------------------------</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Detail of photo: Photo is <span class="s1">©️</span>B. Kim Barnes, used with permission and can be found at</span></div>
<div class="p3">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="s2"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/kimbar/28872719916/in/album-72157633220046597/">https://www.flickr.com/photos/kimbar/28872719916/in/album-72157633220046597/</a></span><span class="s3"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
<br />Robert Shapirohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15834558788450735235noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20020108.post-27582526306907976892019-10-28T11:18:00.001-10:002019-10-28T11:18:24.023-10:00It Was the Wrong Road but the Right Potato<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirc0i4utWTvWM6kFZSXLfcmSVBRBTZyTj4nRXG7EMY5YCJ0K4V9hP02t14mRKhQwfTm5rDa_-w883z1h3GYix1KR3C2jt0idmrJUFdN2ZVQ-MqYH6CC2l3F_JAyLwMB7d3qRMzgg/s1600/10-20-19+Purple+potato+story.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="364" data-original-width="490" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirc0i4utWTvWM6kFZSXLfcmSVBRBTZyTj4nRXG7EMY5YCJ0K4V9hP02t14mRKhQwfTm5rDa_-w883z1h3GYix1KR3C2jt0idmrJUFdN2ZVQ-MqYH6CC2l3F_JAyLwMB7d3qRMzgg/s320/10-20-19+Purple+potato+story.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: small;">She drove down the highway looking for the sign Rudy said was the landmark for the road. She was beginning to regret driving all this way to find an office picnic that may not even be here. She started grumbling out loud now, “Rudy’s always been a prankster. Why did I believe him this time. Look for a potato! That’s what Rudy said!” <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: small;">And suddenly there it was! A brightly colored small billboard with a picture of a potato. Thats all, no words. She turned onto the road happily now looking forward to the picnic. She’d made her special raspberry jam just for this event.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">She noticed up ahead an old man walking slowly. He looks tired, she thought. She pulled up next to him, “Would you like a ride,” she said. The man looked relieved and got in the car with a sigh.</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: small;">As she pulled away she glanced at him noticing that he was younger than she had thought. “If you’re thirsty there’s an extra bottle of water there,” she pointed to a bag on the floor. He reached for it and drank it all. He sighed again and leaned back for a moment.</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: small;">“You’re very kind,” he said. “I’ve made this walk once a week for many years to check on the billboard and you are the first person ever who has stopped and helped.”</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: small;">She asked, “Are you going to the picnic?” He looked puzzled for a moment and then said, “Oh, I heard about that but that is a few miles up the highway, I think.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: small;">“I heard,” he continued, “that they were going to use a sign like mine to mark their place but I asked them not to because it took my grandparents years to create this particular purple potato we raise. We distribute it to only a few places since it is so special.”</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: small;">Fascinated by what he was saying and forgetting the picnic for the moment, she had pulled over and stopped as they continued to talk. She asked, “Does it have a special taste?” “Yes,” he answered, “but that’s not all. It has a unique quality. If you like, I have a small sample here in the form of a cookie. Would you like to share it with me?” He hurried on to say, “I assure you, it is completely safe.”</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: small;">A comfortable feeling came over her. She felt she could trust him. “Okay, I’ll try it,” she said. He pulled out the cookie and she noticed that it seemed to have a purple glow. He broke it neatly in half and with a whimsical tap of cookie halves they ate it at the same time.</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: small;">Almost immediately she felt the change. All of her old aches and pains were suddenly gone and she felt like she was 20 years old again.She smiled and looked over at him. He now looked about the same age as she felt. She glanced at her reflection in the rear view mirror and she looked 20! “Is it real?” she asked.</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: small;">“Yes,” he simply said. “How long does it last?” she asked quietly. “As long as you want,” he answered. He tentatively reached out and gently touched the back of her hand. She felt wonderful with his gentle touch. Almost whispering she said, “Are you my other half?” “Yes,” he said quietly, “It’s our time now.”</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: small;">——————————————————</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: small;">Halloween can be happy. May yours be so.</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: small;">Goodlife</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: small;">——————————————————————</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: small;">Detail of photo: Photo is <span class="s1">©️</span>B. Kim Barnes, used with permission and can be found at</span></div>
<div class="p3">
<span class="s2"><span style="font-size: small;">https://www.flickr.com/photos/kimbar/21330395353/in/album-72157653171573963/</span></span></div>
<br />Robert Shapirohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15834558788450735235noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20020108.post-15355279952779878692019-10-01T00:13:00.000-10:002019-10-27T04:48:46.860-10:00Zeus and the Cat Doctor<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: small;"> It had been a lonely life lately for Zeus. He’d been walking around on the streets - it seemed like forever but he knew it wasn’t that long. He looked in all the old familiar places but he couldn’t find what he was looking for. He knew that what he was looking for wasn’t here anymore but he had hope. He wanted to find some of the smells to remind him of the old days with the old man. It was a good trip to make every day.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
<div class="p2">
Some people wondered why he kept doing that. Others thought it was love or loneliness or that he was just old. It was all those things but it was more then that. After almost his whole life of living with the old man who was also old when they got together, it was normal for him. It was what he did with his life now.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></div>
<div class="p2">
He continued on his walk down the path to the old wood shop where the old man had worked. He walked up to the front door and stared at it. It was locked. He so very much wanted to go inside but there wasn’t anybody to let him in so he walked around the outside.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></div>
<div class="p2">
There were still a few lingering smells from those old days. The old man used to like to sit out in back sometimes on an old wood box behind the wood shop and smoke his pipe. Zeus walked over there and sat down next to it.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></div>
<div class="p2">
He could still sniff some of those old tobacco smells and they were a comfort to him. Doing that always made him feel better. He would sit there for an hour or so and then he’d walk on home.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></div>
<div class="p2">
The old man’s daughter, Susie, still lived there and she took care of him and that was a comfort too but she had a busy life. She often went off with her friends - he didn’t know where - so he’d be a bit lonely and he would go on his walk every day to remember the good times with the old man. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></div>
<div class="p2">
Everybody in the neighborhood knew him. Sometimes the children would call to him and if he really liked them he would stop for a short visit but this didn’t happen every day, just some days.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></div>
<div class="p2">
He was almost home when Jeremy came running out from the alley and bumped right into him. Jeremy was getting a little older now and he fell over. Zeus stopped and stayed with him.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></div>
<div class="p2">
Jeremy was a cat and was almost completely blind, he was born that way, and they had become friends. Zeus remained with his friend while Jeremy figured out how to get up.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></div>
<div class="p2">
Jeremy had only 3 legs so getting up was sometimes awkward for him. He was born that way, almost blind and with 3 legs but the people he lived with next door loved him just the way he was.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></div>
<div class="p2">
Jeremy got up and the 2 of them leaned together which is a way that dogs, cats and some others will hug each other sometimes. They walked together and since they were almost home they got back within a minute or two.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></div>
<div class="p2">
Susie and her friends were there. They saw Zeus and Jeremy coming up the sidewalk and they stopped what they were doing. Susie looked at the pair and she thought, “What an odd mixed match they are but they are very precious.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></div>
<div class="p2">
Many of her friends were taking pictures of them and it always made her uncomfortable when that happened because she felt somehow it was invading Zeus’s and Jeremy’s friendship but she noticed the dog and cat didn’t seem to mind at all.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></div>
<div class="p2">
The two came up to where everybody was and her friends all sat or crouched down to visit with them. They knew that Zeus and Jeremy were not young so they were gentle and petted them and said sweet and friendly things to them. Zeus and Jeremy sat down and enjoyed their friendliness. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></div>
<div class="p2">
After a few minutes Jeremy got up and walked over to Richard who was sitting by himself and feeling kind of grumpy because he had broken his toe and it was really hurting. He was wearing a walking cast and since he loved nothing better then to go skateboarding he was a bit grumpy.</div>
<div class="p2">
Jeremy jumped up into Richard’s lap. Richard didn’t know what to do because he didn’t have a cat but Jeremy settled down and Richard just started gently petting him.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></div>
<div class="p2">
He noticed as he was petting Jeremy that he felt better and his toe had stopped hurting so much. He didn’t know why but he appreciated it and pretty soon he was smiling and laughing with the rest of his friends.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></div>
<div class="p2">
Susie and her best friend and neighbor Joni looked at each other and smiled. Joni quietly said<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>that Jeremy was working his special magic again. They agreed that Jeremy was a cat doctor. He could cheer anybody up and he could help them to feel better no matter what. He just had that special way about him.</div>
<div class="p2">
Zeus smiled to himself. He walked up on the porch and got up on the old man’s wooden deck chair that Susie kept there for him. He looked around sleepily as he started to relax. It’s not a bad life even though the old man was gone - it’s a good life in a lot of ways. Maybe I’ll stop making that walk and hang out more with my friend Jeremy. I might pick up some pointers and someday perhaps I can be a dog doctor. On that note he settled in for his afternoon snooze.</div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span class="s1">Photo is </span><span class="s2">©️</span><span class="s1">B. Kim Barnes, used with permission and can be found at:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/kimbar/5887795802/in/album-72157627291278455/"><span class="s3">https://www.flickr.com/photos/kimbar/5887795802/in/album-72157627291278455/</span></a></span></div>
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<br />Robert Shapirohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15834558788450735235noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20020108.post-8363098216763124612019-07-06T18:53:00.000-10:002019-07-06T19:00:06.918-10:00Jon’s World<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: small;">Jon rolled over in bed. “Have to go to work,” he said in a tired miserable way. “I don’t know why, what’s all this big fuss about the South Pole. Every year we have to trek down to the exact South Pole,” Jon grumbled to himself. “Well…,” he muttered, “…I’m not in this alone so no point in fussing any more about it.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Jon was a member of a crew that walked down to the exact South Pole every year. Scientists would be there of course and they would take their usual measurements and Astrophysicists would study the sky - everybody would do what their speciality was.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Jon worked with the sled dogs to keep them safe and secure and well fed and to some extent controlled because sometimes they would get overexcited.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>His job was to bring back-up supplies on the sled just in case. You never knew about the weather there so even though the scientists all rode in an old snow cat, which Jon also maintained and filled with supplies, he and the dogs went with the sled.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>It was only a group of 8 to 10 every time and this time the group was 9. It took about 2 to 3 hours to get to the area and mark the South Pole as precisely as possible.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Jon had the sled packed with everything and would mush the sled, that was his job and so they were off. After about 2 hours, the general area where they were going was just ahead. The scientists in the snow cat were using their knowledge and instruments to find the location.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>A little ways before they got to the pinpoint location the dogs stopped and they absolutely refused to go any further. Jon did everything he could to coax them but the lead scientist, Mr. Jeffers said, “We have to go on.” Jon replied, “Well it’s, it’s not very far.” They could all see it.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>It was about 100 yards away (91.44 meters) and Mr. Jeffers said, “Well Jon, you come along when you can and we’ll see you there.” Mr. Jeffers and the rest of them in the snow cat drove off towards the area.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Jon walked over to the dogs. He knew them all very well and he sat down in front of the lead dog. He patted the lead dog a little bit which always meant to the other dogs that they could sit down, so they did and then while the lead dog was sitting Jon said, “I know that you know something.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The lead dog gave him that warm loving look that dogs do that people who live with dogs know about and Jon said, “We’ll stay here.” And so they did.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>After about a half an hour one of the scientists, Mr. Royce, walked back and said, “Are you coming?” Jon answered, “Well you know, they just don’t want to go any further and I don’t want to leave them.” Mr. Royce said, “Okay, okay,” and he walked back.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>About 20 minutes after that Jon had a funny feeling and the dogs had it too. The dogs got up without Jon saying anything or giving any order. The dogs looked at each other, they looked at Jon who also stood up - and things seemed to be different. Jon noticed there were colors swirling in the air around them and the dogs seemed to like it though they weren’t getting excited - they were just happy.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Jon felt a sense of <i>ease</i> coming over him and the next thing he knew his eyes were closed. He knew he was still standing but he felt like he was in a deep sleep. After a little while he started feeling very warm and then actually hot. He wondered what that was about because he was going to have to take off his parka.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>He opened his eyes and he looked - he was in some kind of a - was it a desert? No, he could see trees in the distance. He looked towards where the sled had been but it wasn’t there. The dogs weren’t either. He looked all around and off in the distance he saw the dogs frisking around by the trees and they were splashing in what looked like a pool.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Jon suddenly realized how hot he was so he took off his parka and his boots. He thought this must be a dream - of course, it’s a dream. Everything will be alright so he walked over to the dogs and the dogs ran up to him and they were all happy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The lead dog came up to him and gave him that look that Jon knew. So he sat down and he looked at the lead dog.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Suddenly Jon felt himself going through an odd sensation. Pretty soon he felt kind of like he was a dog and pretty soon after that he felt like he really is a dog. He looked around at himself and he had 4 legs and he was wagging his tail and he was thinking to himself, “but I’m a man, I’m not a dog,”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The lead dog looked at him and Jon felt freer than he had ever felt in his life and he thought, “what a wonderful dream!” He ran into the pond and splashed around and all the dogs splashed around in the pond with him.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>He came out refreshed and looked again at his friend, the lead dog. Lead dog brushed up against him and Jon could hear something. He wasn’t sure what it was until he realized it was a song. It was some sort of tune without words. The music was beautiful and then he started hearing the words and the words were, home - I’m home.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>He didn’t know what that meant. He was starting to get a bit nervous and then the lead dog came over and leaned against him and he leaned back with his dog self and soon he was completely relaxed and sleeping some place. Then, as he awoke he heard it.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>It was the most loving voice he’d ever heard and it said, “You’ve been playing at being a man but now you’re home. This is the place where dogs live and where they come from and now you’re home again.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>He wanted to wake up from his dream and his dream sleep but then he realized - why fight it - I’ve never been so happy and comfortable in my life.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Detail of photo: Photo is <span class="s1">©️</span>B. Kim Barnes, used with permission and can be found at<span class="s2"> <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/kimbar/21544139049/in/album-72157657309351200/"><span class="s3"><span style="font-size: small;">https://www.flickr.com/photos/kimbar/21544139049/in/album-72157657309351200/</span></span></a></span></span></div>
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<br />Robert Shapirohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15834558788450735235noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20020108.post-77200796432664462222019-05-25T18:23:00.000-10:002019-05-25T18:23:07.980-10:00The Silver Sail<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The old man woke up. He’d had that strange dream again. All he could ever remember was that there was a very flat and calm lake. It had a sort of gleam to it and in the distance there was a sailboat.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>He liked that boat very much. He’d always wanted to have a boat of his own but the distinctive feature of the boat is that it had a silver sail. The sail was so bright that the sun would reflect from it and at the moment of the flash of the sun reflecting off of it he would wake up. This happened every time. In the past it had bothered him because he wanted to know what happened next.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>He had been a story teller his whole life and like any story teller, there has to be a good finish and it’s also good to have a nice start - and it’s even better for it to be a good story all the way through.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>So on the one hand it bothered him and on the other hand he really liked the image of the calm water, the sailboat and the silver sail. “Anyway,” he thought to himself, “…how many times have I had that thought.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>He rolled out of bed and Q rolled with him. Q was his dog. Well actually, to be perfectly honest, Q was his families dog who had taken a shine to him.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>They called him Quintus Rex and he thought that was a silly name for a dog but he didn’t say so to the family because they thought it was a funny name and he didn’t want to rain on their parade, so to speak. He was kind of an unusual looking dog and so every time they’d say his name they would laugh looking at him.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The old man felt that Q, as he called him, was a fine looking dog - he was just different. “And so,” he thought, “ well, just because he’s got big floppy ears and one of the ears is much shorter than the other doesn’t mean that he should just be continually laughed at. Dogs like it when people are happy but if they’re the butt of the joke eventually they don’t like it too much, just like human beings.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>So the old man treated Q different and he didn’t call him Quintus Rex even in front of the family, he always called him Q.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Later in the day after a nice family breakfast, he looked at Q and said, “Want to go for a stroll boy?” Q always wanted to go for a stroll with the old man because it was fun and so of course he looked happy and wagged his tail.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>They lived in a neighborhood where, if you had a well-behaved dog, that you didn’t have to use a leash and so they both left the house - no leash.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Q looked up happily at the old man as they walked along. The old man liked to say, “Heel,” and of course Q would do that but he looked up at the old man with happiness because the old man could understand and recognize that he was happy just to <i>be</i> with the old man.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>They walked down that slow slope towards the lake. It was a nice lake. It was fairly big. You could see the other side but it was at a distance.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>When the old man was younger he used to be able to walk around the lake but now that he was older he was happy just to walk down there, think his thoughts of his life and have his good friend Q with him.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The old man sat on the bench that was closest to the lake. Most of the benches were behind the path so that you could have chats with people walking by. The old man, when he was younger, used to sit on those benches for his Sunday walk but now that he was in his advanced years he liked to sit near the lake because most of his friends whom he used to see there had already passed over.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>So he sat near the lake and Q sat on the ground near him. The old man would usually look at Q and say, “Do you want to go play, boy?” When he would do that Q would go off and play with the other dogs or sometimes splash a bit in the water. This time the old man didn’t say that. He looked kind of sleepy and Q thought - maybe I’d better stay.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Q looked out at something that caught his eye on the lake. He wasn’t sure what it was and he glanced back at the old man. He wanted to see if the old man had seen it but the old man had shifted on the bench. He wasn’t sitting up any more.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>He had in fact leaned over to the side and now he sort of slowly descended to the rest of the bench and looked kind of like he was sleeping but Q knew what it was. To be sure, Q put a<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>paw up on the old man and he knew. Dogs have a way of knowing these things.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Q looked at the old man but again something caught his eye. It was a flash of light from the direction of the lake. He turned around and looked directly at the lake.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>He saw another flash of light and there out on the lake was a sailboat. It was a nice one. Not too big, just a nice size, and it had a silver sail.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Q was happy. The old man had told him about his dream several times. Again he looked at the old man laying on the bench but somehow he knew the old man wasn’t really there any more and Q got happier and excited.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>He wondered whether the old man’s dream had come true and he looked at the boat with the silver sail. He saw something. He had good vision like dogs do.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The old man was on the boat! He was waving at Q. Q hopped up in the air with joy and when he landed the boat was gone. The silver sail was gone and the old man on the boat was gone but dogs can accept these things and he knew that the old man was happy and Q was happy for him.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>He looked back at the bench. A couple of people had come over and he looked at them. One of them said, “It was his time,” and glanced at Q and Q nodded - it was his time but Q knew that it was <i>the next time</i> for the old man.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">We all will have next times, I believe. Goodlife to you all.</span></div>
<br />Robert Shapirohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15834558788450735235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20020108.post-42837470089773156372019-03-28T14:22:00.000-10:002019-03-28T14:22:48.238-10:00Morning of the Sun<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: small;">The morning became her as she shone brightly in the sky. She laughed merrily to herself as she did every morning when she thought about some peoples calling her Father Sun. Mother Sun was closer to the way she thought of herself as she gave freely of her light and warmth to encourage all life.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">When waking she always looked at all the planets that she had managed to accumulate over time. Some planets were not originally planets at all but were moons of other planets.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Still, she managed to move things around a bit and over time they became planets and this was good.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">She enjoyed her array of life giving objects and she smiled upon the peoples who insisted on saying Father Sun and Sister Moon when in fact it was closer to the other way around. “Still, a small thing,” she thought.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">She loved the peoples of all forms. She did think it was strange that some of the peoples didn’t understand that the other peoples, including the four leggeds that lived with them very often, were the same status.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">She thought, “Well, they are young as a people and they will grow and realize that all beings are the same in the heart, mind and body because they are all made of the same thing.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">“They communicate differently at this time but most are telepathic, even human beings - they just don’t remember. But”, she smiled again to herself, “they’ll begin to wake up and they will remember how to speak from the heart without using words out loud and this way,” she thought warmly, “this way there would be no more misunderstandings and that would be good.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">She relaxed and got on with her day.</span></div>
<br />Robert Shapirohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15834558788450735235noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20020108.post-72573445304081843492019-02-12T19:40:00.000-10:002019-02-15T12:02:56.143-10:00The Tower<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: small;">Beryl looked towards the sky as she did every day at this time. The clouds were moving by as always and they would take the form in this part of the cloud or that part of the cloud of the spirits that always lived there.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Sometimes the forms would be of animals and other times clearly of people and still other times shapes that she didn’t recognize but were not a shape of a normal cloud so it must have been something she didn’t know about.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-size: small;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">It was a special time of the day when she would have her tea. Sometimes her friend Millie would come over and they would both look at the sky and have their tea together.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">They had been friends for as long as she could remember and now they were both elderly and looking forward to having more time off since their children had grown up and were enjoying good lives. Beryl and Millie felt very good about that.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">They both lived in separate little apartment-like places, sometimes called in-law apartments, in their children’s homes and so they were comfortable and within easy walking distance of each other.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Beryl looked up into the sky again and she wondered when they were going to finish the tower. She and Millie had discussed this so many times but as the tower was being built over the years, and her grandmother and even her great grandmother had mentioned it to her, that it would always either fall down or it would be blown over by a strong wind.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Over the years people learned how to build it better and now her young ones and Millies young ones as well had all discovered how to build it so it was stronger and more durable and the tower didn’t fall over any more. It didn’t blow over even when strong winds would come and it was getting higher and higher.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">She noticed, the last time she looked, that it was almost touching where the clouds would be. She thought for a moment about the old stories and how the old ones said if they could only fly up to the clouds and be with the spirits that were there, that the clouds showed every day, that they would be happy and feel wonderful. And so came the project of the tower.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Millie looked at her friend. She knew exactly what Beryl was thinking because Beryl spoke about these matters every day. Millie’s life was different. She had her boyfriend, as she called him although she was too old to be called a girl and he was too old to be called a boy but they liked to call each other boyfriend and girlfriend just for fun.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Millie loved her friend Beryl, and she wanted Beryl to be happy too but Beryl’s children, especially Johan, had made the tower their lives work and so of course it was very important to Beryl.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Beryl spoke all of a sudden, “Look, they’re moving that piece into place. I don’t see how they can move it up like that but they have their ways, these engineers eh?” Millie said, “Mmm, yes.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">And then after a last bit of struggle the final piece went into place and soon the clouds encased it and were moving through and all around the tower. For those who were present there, a great shout of happiness and joy was made. People hugged each other and were even weeping because this was something they had worked <i>so long</i> for - generations of people had tried to do this and now it was going to be possible to visit the spirits in their home.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Millie and Beryl were having the same thoughts and looked at each other and reached over and patted each other’s hands. This was a momentous occasion.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">The people who were below the top of the tower looked up at those who had placed the last piece. They could see them climbing up that last piece to be with the spirits and visit them in their home. Soon everyone below the top of the tower could see that their favorite spirit was defined by the clouds and it was that wonderful smiling face that they all loved so much.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">High up in the tower Johan was there. He was thrilled to have been part of the group who placed the last piece and he had climbed up with the rest of them. He saw a bit of the smile and knew this must be the smiling face he’d seen so often from the ground. He felt what he could only describe as ecstasy. It was the greatest joy and yet there was an unusual silence. His friends were around him and nearby in other parts of the tower but he felt totally at peace, quiet and still.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">In a moment he heard the voice and the Voice said to him, “You have done well to come and visit us in our home. We welcome you and so we will give each of you a gift. You can come only once but we will give everyone their own gift and it will be a story. The stories are meant to encourage life, to support love and to provide a welcoming for all life between you and all life - and between life and all of you. In this way these stories will support the re-blossoming of the best and most benevolent life for all beings.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Johan was overwhelmed by his feeling of pure love that he felt from the voice. He felt tears of joy streaming down his face and knew that it was time to leave. He started climbing back down.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">When he got to the plateau level where others were waiting but still a ways up on the tower, people saw the tears streaming down his face and they knew he must have had a marvelous experience because even though the tears were coming he was smiling and looked joyous.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">He climbed back down to the bottom and others hugged him and he hugged them in return. Johan shared what the voice had said and from that day forward people were able to gather stories from the spirits in the sky.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Soon the people all had stories and they told their stories at gatherings. No matter what disputes or arguments had preceded their gatherings, after the stories were told all was forgiven. Love prevailed and a better life was had for all beings.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Happy Valentine's Day to you all. Goodlife</span><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></div>
<br />Robert Shapirohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15834558788450735235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20020108.post-27362595244779093122018-12-27T20:51:00.000-10:002019-02-15T12:24:03.927-10:00Time<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: 20px;"> </span>Rolling so smoothly and every once in a while folding back on himself. This was Grandfather Time’s experience. Mostly, when he folded back it was a pleasant wave of energy and feeling but occasionally it didn’t feel so good. He wondered if it had something to do with that little world.</div>
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Most of the peoples and worlds that he provided with time were happy with these opportunities to repeat their happiness and joys from the past but there was one world he was concerned about.</div>
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This was a world that had unhappiness and misery besides happiness and joy and so, when the moment would come where he would fold back on himself and happiness and joy was repeated on most of the worlds, this one world would sometimes have all kinds of unhappiness and misery that had happened before, happen all over again. </div>
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He didn’t know what to do about that. He had to continue to fold back on himself because the other worlds were enjoying the experience so much. He wondered if there wasn’t something he could do to resolve the situation on that one world - such a beautiful little world from space, blue and white, very pretty. He wondered again, what can I do so they don’t repeat their unhappiness from the past. </div>
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“I know, I have an idea and why,” he chuckled to himself, “why in the world, so to speak, didn’t I think of this before?” In that moment he called out to his friend and mate who was in another part of the universe and doing things differently.</div>
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Soon after, Grandmother Time was preparing for her trip to help her old friend. She asked her daughter to carry on for her. Her daughter, Mother Time, said, “I will Momma.”</div>
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Almost immediately upon Grandmother Time’s arrival Grandfather Time asked her, “What can I do about this beautiful little world?” Grandmother Time looked at it. “It is beautiful,” she said.</div>
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She thought for a moment and then said, “I know what we could do but we will have to join for a long time and this means you will have to stretch to where I am in my part of the universe and I will have to stretch to where you are in your part of the universe and we can, if we move back and forth slowly like that, I think, create a calming. It will still be beautiful for all the other peoples and worlds as it has been but this way we can create something more gentle that will be more like a ripple instead of a wave.”</div>
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“Ah I see,” Grandfather Time said. “So instead of a sudden wave that can happen when I fold back, things will be calmer and softer. Do you think that maybe the peoples on that world can sort out their problems then?” “I think it’s worth a try,” Grandmother Time said.</div>
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<span style="font-family: helvetica;"> And that’s what they did and they’re working on it now so maybe we can sort out our problems. Let’s give it a try. Happy 2019 and beyond.</span>Robert Shapirohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15834558788450735235noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20020108.post-77068522295359375702018-12-18T06:34:00.000-10:002018-12-18T07:22:24.844-10:00The Stairway<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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When I was growing up we lived in a very old house. It had this rickety stairway that led downstairs from the bedrooms. It had a bannister but it was shaky. Every time you walked on the stairs you felt like they were going to fall down but carpenters and other builders said that the stairs were meant to be free swinging. </div>
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They said that they were actually very sturdy and that each stair supported the other not unlike a rope bridge over a canyon that just had ropes and boards. They said it really was very safe but it would be shaky. </div>
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That’s what they said anyway but I remember having to go down that stairway, especially at night when we had to go downstairs to the bathroom, because the stairway was dark. We had a nightlight upstairs and a small one at the bottom but there wasn’t any way to light the stairway. </div>
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When I was very young I remember several times going down that stairway very slowly at night when I was really frightened but making it all the way down and all the way back up. On the way back up I ran up to the brighter light upstairs. It was always a relief to get there.</div>
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One day something happened that was really marvelous. I remember it so well. As I was about to step on the stairs there was a little light there. I didn’t know where it came from but I looked down and there was a light slightly above the stairs just floating there. </div>
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I walked towards it and it seemed kind of friendly, thats the only way I can describe it. So I started walking down the stairs and wonder of wonders, the light kept moving before me and lighting up the stairway. That happened all the way down to the bottom of the stairs. </div>
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When I came back to the staircase I didn’t know whether the light would be there for me but just as I was reaching my foot towards the first stair, there it was and from that day forward going up and down the stairs at night that light was there. </div>
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Everyone in my family saw it too. My sister saw it, my mom saw it and my dad saw it when they went down and back up the stairs.</div>
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My little sister always called it Genie because it was like a magical genie to her. Soon we all called it that.</div>
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All throughout my childhood from that point on Genie was there. I remember once my dad said, “We all love Genie but maybe we ought to rebuild the stairway …,” and that’s as far as he got. All the rest of us said, “No, no, Genie might go away!”</div>
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So to this day, even though I’m now all grown up and not as frightened as I used to be as a child and am getting on in years, I still live in that house.</div>
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My sister got married and moved away and my folks passed on years ago but when I got married we raised our children in this house. The children got to know Genie on the stairway at night. Its been a magical place that way and we all feel that Genie loves us and we love Genie too.</div>
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There’s something special that I’ve learned from Genie and thats that it’s possible to do small things that are really needed and just be yourself when you’re doing them. In this way you can give of yourself while still being who you are. </div>
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I’ve tried to live my life that way doing small things for others as well as doing larger things when needed and to be gracious in giving and receiving.</div>
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May you all have a most pleasant holiday season.</div>
<br />Robert Shapirohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15834558788450735235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20020108.post-87412420727764462112018-05-12T21:56:00.003-10:002018-05-12T21:56:43.520-10:00Minor Changes on My Blogs<div style="font-family: Helvetica; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
Laws have changed in the European Union that have to do with some elements on my blogs, so I’ve removed those elements to comply. I hope these removals haven’t inconvenienced you. Do know that I welcome you all to read these blogs. Goodlife</div>
Robert Shapirohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15834558788450735235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20020108.post-35217204682228787742018-02-11T10:02:00.000-10:002019-02-15T12:09:14.168-10:00The Question<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: small;">Todd got out of bed. He looked in the mirror, shook his head. “How could I have gotten this way”, he thought to himself. “I used to be… well I used to be younger, that’s true,” he thought to himself, “…but now? Oh dear, I look like an unmade bed.”<br /><br />He went to the bathroom, took a shower - a nice long one because it was his day off and he decided he would get dressed up in his best clothes. It had been a very long time since he got dressed up although when he looked at his wardrobe he was concerned that he wouldn’t fit into any of his nicer clothes anymore.<br /><br />“Well,” he thought, “that’s what elastic waists are for.” He took out some of his old pants that didn’t have much wear because he bought them when he had put on weight and then he took it all off but in recent years he put back some of it - he was pretty sure he didn’t put it all back on. He tried on the elastic pants and wonder of wonders, they were loose! “This is wonderful,” he thought. And he tried on the next smaller size - still loose - and the next size.<br /><br />You see, Todd is the sort of person who gains weight and looses weight and gains it again and looses it again. Some of you might know someone like that. Some of you might even resemble that but that’s alright, it’s part of life.<br /><br />After a while, Todd found the size that fit him. It was somewhere between his biggest and his smallest so he didn’t feel too bad about it. Okay, it did have an elastic waist but not the whole waist, just at the sides. “So, that’s okay,” he thought with a smile.<br /><br />He looked at his shirts and discovered that he did have several shirts that still fit him comfortably. He thought, “I can look nice today. I don’t have to be all rumply as I normally am in my old clothes.”<br /><br />You see, Todd didn’t have to get all fancied up to do his work because his work was as a woodcarver. As a woodcarver - and he was a very good one - he didn’t have to look fancy but today was a special day. Today was the day he was going to ask his friend, whom he had known all his life - he was going to ask her out on a date. He was a shy person and never had the nerve to do that before but today was the day!<br /><br />“She won’t be expecting me to look this nice”, he thought. “Normally I just look like, well, that unmade bed.”<br /><br />So, he got his shoes out and polished them and brushed them to a bright shine. He thought, “It’s probably silly going to the repair shop but still…” nervously mumbling to himself getting ready but adding, “…gotta try, gotta try.”<br /><br />He drove over to Crumple Repair, excited and nervous, to ask Shelly out on a real date. Everyone at the auto body repair shop knew him and called out to him as he was walking up the driveway. <br /><br />Slim said, “Here comes Rumply!” “Hi Rumply,” others said and waved. Jack, who’d worked there the longest and worked for Shelly’s dad when he’d started the place, called to Shelly by her nickname at the shop, “Crumply! Rumply’s here only he looks different. Wonder what’s up?” <br /><br />Shelly looked up from the dent she was pounding out, gave Todd a big smile and said to him, “You look great! What’s the occasion?” <br /><br />Todd said, “I’ve known you all my life. Your my best friend in the world but your more than that to me.” Nervously, he continued, “You’re much more than that to me. Would you come out on a date with me? A real date, not just hanging out?” <br /><br />Shelly got up slowly from the car she had been working on and walked up to Todd. She spread her arms out and they hugged each other. “Oh Shelly, I don’t want to complicate our friendship but I’ve loved you for a long time and just didn’t know how to say it.” <br /><br />Shelly laughed and said, “I’ve loved you for years but I thought you didn’t feel that way so I made do with friendship. I love you too.” <br /><br />——————<br /><br />Valentine’s Day is a time to be reminded of the value of love. Hope you have a most benevolent and lovely day. Goodlife</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">—————————————————————<br />(photo: Photo is © B. Kim Barnes, used with permission and can be found at https://www.flickr.com/photos/kimbar/38102978064/)</span>Robert Shapirohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15834558788450735235noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20020108.post-48773825838495377592017-12-27T12:04:00.000-10:002019-02-15T12:28:12.095-10:00Rainbow Rising<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFTrt-PCwvjyIboWJatZLc_kPESbG1_CW1UZeJA0HCf8gtB5gbrJcpg0BnW4_sTScBu2xkZY7nc8mwxkywLGryjJd4qquQ6b6QEUxkRmIAn8Y9a_erG8O9cAGmO5LsETfnx4YLrA/s1600/10-16-17+Rainbow+Rising+story.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="99" data-original-width="330" height="96" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFTrt-PCwvjyIboWJatZLc_kPESbG1_CW1UZeJA0HCf8gtB5gbrJcpg0BnW4_sTScBu2xkZY7nc8mwxkywLGryjJd4qquQ6b6QEUxkRmIAn8Y9a_erG8O9cAGmO5LsETfnx4YLrA/s320/10-16-17+Rainbow+Rising+story.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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Charlie looked out across the open plane. He could see as far as he needed to but he was waiting because in the canyon that was just past the plane, every day about this time it would have a rain shower and he would enjoy watching that even though it didn’t come, most of the time, to where he lived.<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />He liked to watch it because at this time of day the rainbow would rise. “Oh what a glorious sight that is,” he thought as he relived it in his mind, “It literally starts as light very bright on the ground and then if you don’t know what it is you’re fascinated.” <br /><br />The first time he saw it he literally ran towards it until he realized it was a rainbow! And up it came and it lasted for as long as the rain shower lasted which is usually about 10 minutes.<br /><br />“What a beautiful thing, “ he thought, “Mother Earth is such a wonderful mother because even though she provides things that can be challenging and even daunting she also is generous with her gifts.”<br /><br />“Thank you Mother Earth,” he thought. He looked down as he said that and then he crouched down and touched her dirt and said almost reverently, “Thank you for all your kind gifts you give me.”<br />——————<br />May you also have gifts from Mother Earth and a benevolent 2018. Goodlife </span>Robert Shapirohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15834558788450735235noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20020108.post-55175756809321495722017-12-15T19:53:00.000-10:002017-12-15T19:53:40.859-10:00The Feather<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: small;">She was a special little duck, not too big as ducks go. She had plain but nice and smooth and shiny feathers but there was one thing unusual about her and that’s that on her back, she could reach it so she could clean it and keep it shiny, was a small single red feather.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Bright red feathers don’t usually show up in a ducks body there, at least not for her nor her relatives and it stuck up, sort of popped up out of the rest of her feathers so it looked a little funny when she was walking around or swimming. Of course when she was flying with friends or family, not many people could see it. It wasn’t a big feather so it didn’t interfere with the way she would fly but she could feel it in the breeze.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">She liked to visit the park with her friends and family. A lot of her friends and family would eat the bread or other things that people would throw but she didn’t like to do that. She held back, she knew she was there for a <i>reason</i> but she wasn’t sure what it was. </span><span style="font-size: small;">One day the reason showed up and that explained why she had that red feather.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">“Over the vista and through the woods. Now, how did that song go?”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">“Grandpa, it’s not over the vista, it’s over the river and through the woods,” Andie said.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">“Is that it,” Andie’s Grandpa Jeff asked.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">“Yes,” Andie answered.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">“Oh well, it’s good I have you around Andie, isn’t it because you can help me to remember the things I used to know and - there was a time when I taught you that song.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">“That’s right Grandpa. Sorry, I shouldn’t have made such a fuss,” Andie said apologizing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">“That’s alright, sweetie. Don’t you worry about it. What do you want to do today,” Grandpa asked.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">“Well”, she said, “I was thinking, maybe we could walk down to the park - you know the place you like to go and sit on the bench by the ducks, because that duck I was looking for - you know the one the other day?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">“Yes, the one with the funny feather,” Grandpa answered. “That’s right. I was wondering if that duck came back,” Andie responded.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">“Well, lets go,” Grandpa said.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">“Okay,” Andie answered.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">So they put on their jackets. Grandpa Jeff used his extra warm scarf and Andie put on her warm sweater vest. They left the house and walked towards the park. It was only two blocks away but it was a nice walk because on the way, there were several people who had friendly dogs and Andie would say hello to all the dogs and they’d come up wagging their tails.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">One place, Grandpa Jeff said hello to his neighbor Jocelyn who was always very happy to see him and they would linger for a little bit. Andie would smile shyly and look at the ground and hope that someday her grandfather and this sweet lady Jocelyn would get together. “They’d make a sweet couple,” Andi thought to herself.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">They got to the park and settled down on their favorite bench. Not too many other people were around, just the regulars that came there every day. They waved cheerfully to all the regulars and the regulars waved back and they settled in and waited for the ducks to come.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">The ducks always came at the same time of day. Andie figured that they probably had other places they wanted to visit. Grandpa figured that they had other places where they could get goodies and they would go on tour to various places where they could get some foods they liked.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Andie and her grandfather would always bring special food that they got at the pet store that was just for ducks. It gave them all of the nutrients they needed to be healthy. So they felt good about feeding the ducks and knowing that they were helping them too.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Soon the ducks showed up and lo and behold there was the duck with the different feather.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">“What do you think that means, grandpa?” “Well you know, it is funny. You wouldn’t expect a red feather to be sticking out of a duck in that place. It’s just a mystery, isn’t it”, Grandpa responded to Andie. “It sure is,” Andie answered. Grandpa continued, “I don’t know what that red feather means but I wonder.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Soon the ducks came out of the water towards them because they knew that they were going to get their good food. Several of them came over including the little duck with the red feather.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Andie’s grandpa Jeff and Andie spread out the food for them and most of the ducks started eating except the little duck with the red feather who walked right up to Andie, turned around and pecked at the feather and pulled it out. She dropped it right at Andie’s feet.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Grandpa looked over at Andie and looked at the little duck and said, “I think that’s meant as a gift for you.” </span><span style="font-size: small;">Andie responded quietly, “I think so too. Should I reach right down and pick it up now?” </span><span style="font-size: small;">“I would,” Grandpa answered.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Andie slowly reached down and got the feather and watched the little duck and noticed that the duck watched her all the way and when she picked up the feather she held it for a moment and little duck kept watching her.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">“You know…,” said Grandpa, “…I think she wants you to do something with it.” Andie answered, “I know this sounds silly but I feel like putting it in my hair.” Grandpa responded, “Go ahead.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">She stuck it in her hair and the little duck looked at Andie and then at grandpa Jeff. She looked back at Andie one more time and nodded her head and turned around and went back in the water.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">“What does it mean, grandpa?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">“I’m not sure what it means…,” Grandpa said, “…but I think it must mean something good.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Well, they went home after that and they talked it over that night - what could it mean - but they didn’t know so they each went to bed and had a good nights sleep and looked forward to going to the park again the next day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Sure enough, the next day they looked at each other and smiled. Andie was wearing the red feather. She had dusted it off and found a way to put it in her hair so it wouldn’t blow away.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">“Oh, that looks nice,” Grandpa said. “Thank you. I’m not sure if it’ll stay there but I have it sort of connected to a scrunchy and I think it might,” Andie replied.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">“It’s a beautiful gift and not a bad looking gift giver,” Grandpa said with a smile.“Not bad looking at all,” Andie said cheerfully.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">They walked on towards the park and Andie said hello to the friendly dogs and then they got to the house where Jocelyn lived but she wasn’t sitting out on the porch as usual. Andie noticed that her grandfather looked disappointed but they walked on.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">A half a block away from the park they saw Jocelyn at a distance walking towards them from a side street. As she got closer she said, “How do you like my new Christmas hat?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Grandpa Jeff and Andie glanced at each other, then looked at Jocelyn. Grandpa Jeff said, “My, that’s a beautiful big red feather on your hat.” Jocelyn answered, “Thank you, and what a nice red feather in your hair, Andie.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">“We really want to tell you all about what happened at the park yesterday,” Jeff said. And soon they were talking and laughing like old friends.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Soaring in the sky a little ways overhead, little duck smiled and knew that the little girl and the old man would soon be happy with the lady.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">——————</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Happy Holidays to you all as well.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Photo is © B. Kim Barnes, used with permission, and can be found at <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/kimbar/30687841335/in/album-72157656268292266/">https://www.flickr.com/photos/kimbar/30687841335/in/album-72157656268292266/</a></span></div>
Robert Shapirohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15834558788450735235noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20020108.post-46027431435059047682017-11-20T13:07:00.000-10:002017-11-20T13:07:33.338-10:00Beyond the Edges<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: small;">Bill looked over the edge. He was always afraid to do that because when he looked over the edge he could see all his dreams and it just made him nervous.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">On the one hand he was excited and happy when he saw his good dreams but on the other hand, sometimes he would see those scary dreams and it just made him nervous.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">He’d always been able to look over the edge before he fell asleep but he’d never been able to stop himself from falling asleep just at the point where he could look over the edge.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">He called it looking over the edge because it was that point between being awake or being asleep. There was that midpoint where he could feel himself sinking into sleep and he called that the edge.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-size: small;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">One morning he woke up and he’d had a good dream and he felt relaxed and happy and he just enjoyed those feelings for a while. Then he heard a voice in his head saying, “There is a way you can experience only good dreams.” Bill said, “Who’s that?” And the voice said, “I’m your conscience, I’m also your soul and I have a gift for you.”</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-size: small;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">“Really?” Bill thought wonderingly to himself though it felt like part of a conversation. “Yes, really…”, Bill’s conscience replied, “…this is what to do when you’re looking over the edge. You’ve noticed how in the past when you look at your happy dreams they’re always on the right side and when you look at your unhappy dreams they’re always on the left side.”</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-size: small;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">“Yes, now that you mention it,” Bill answered. Bill’s conscience continued, “Well, this is what to do. From now on when you look over the edge, look only at the right side and then while you look at the right side, drag it across so that it’s on the left side too.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">“Is that possible,” Bill asked.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">“Yes, try it tonight when you’re looking over the edge.”</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-size: small;"> </span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span style="font-size: small;">That night when he laid down for sleep, he didn’t know whether he could even fall asleep because he was excited to try the new way but sure enough when he started sinking into sleep he looked over the edge and he saw his good dreams on the right side and the scary ones on the left side.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-size: small;"> </span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span style="font-size: small;">So he concentrated and looked really hard at his good dreams on the right side and he dragged them over to the left side. He was concerned that that would mean that his bad dreams were on the right side but they weren’t there anymore. His good dreams just filled out the whole panorama of his dreams and everything felt happy. He didn’t know what to think but he was sinking and then he was asleep.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-size: small;"> </span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span style="font-size: small;">Bill woke up and he was </span><i style="font-size: medium;">in</i><span style="font-size: small;"> his dream. It was a happy dream, the one he loved where he’s climbing to the top of the mountain and it was so </span><i style="font-size: medium;">easy</i><span style="font-size: small;"> and he got to the top and he could look around in all the directions - he </span><i style="font-size: medium;">loved</i><span style="font-size: small;"> that dream.</span><span class="Apple-converted-space" style="font-size: small;"> </span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: small;">He woke up and he remembered that he’d woken up in the dream too. He’d never woken up in a dream. He was awake, he felt, when he was in the dream, he really felt himself doing that. He wondered if there was a message there. He thought about it and he thought about his life.</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: small;">He was born with one leg slightly shorter then the other and it had been difficult getting around. It wasn’t a big difference but it was enough of a difference so that if he wore regular shoes that his back or his shoulders or his legs would hurt and so he <i>always</i> wore a special shoe which made it feel better.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: small;">He had to be careful to keep his balance though so he never really climbed up any steep hills or even the trail that went up a mesa near where he lived. Doctors told him that it might be risky or it might be possible, they weren’t sure and so, playing it safe he’d never tried.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: small;">Since it was saturday, the day when he went out and did things or saw friends, he decided that he’d take up a friend’s offer and go on that trail and see if he could make it to the top like in his dream.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: small;">He called his friend, Millie, and he told her that today was the day he was going to try the trail with her and she was excited and said she’d bring everything that they needed - water and food - for a picnic on top and that she would either go first or walk behind him, what ever he wanted. He wanted to walk behind her so he could see how she walked and where she put her feet.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: small;">Millie also brought walking sticks for him so he had something to lean on if he needed it. Well, they started out and the first part was very slightly uphill but he leaned on the walking sticks and it was fine. As time went on and the trail switched back and forth as it often does going on a hike, he needed to lean on the walking sticks more and he had to stop and rest a few times.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: small;">Millie said it would be alright and that they didn’t have to go the whole distance if he didn’t want to but Bill said, “I think I have to <i>try</i> to go the whole distance.” She smiled and said, “Okay.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: small;">They made it all the way to the top. Bill looked around at the top of the mesa and he could see in all directions and for a moment he felt like he was in his dream again and then he looked at Millie, his good friend and she looked at him and warmth and love spread between them.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: small;">They both knew in that moment that their long friendship was finally going to turn into something closer and certainly, it happened.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: small;">Years later Bill realized that the whole purpose of his climbing the mountain dream, was to learn that some risks are okay to take and the whole purpose of him climbing the trail to the top of the mesa with his closest friend Millie and <i>being</i> there with her and looking in all directions - that being there with her in that moment that he could take the risk and go past friendship and that they could be married and live together and dare he say it - yes - to live happily ever after as they have been doing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">———————</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Sometimes you can go beyond your limits and live happily ever after. Happy Thanksgiving and goodlife to you all.</span></div>
<br />Robert Shapirohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15834558788450735235noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20020108.post-12388379852385690472017-10-26T16:57:00.000-10:002017-10-27T17:14:06.788-10:00Candy Corn's Inspiration<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: small;">“Mmmfffff.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: small;">“What is that? I can’t make that out.”</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: small;">“Mmmffffff.”</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: small;">“What, I can’t hear you. Can’t you speak louder?”</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: small;">“Mfffmmffffmmmffff!”</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: small;">“I still can’t hear you. Can you speak louder?”</span></div>
<div class="p2">
After a sort of scrabbling, ripping, popping sound from a brightly colored bag came a shout, “Here I am!”</div>
<div class="p2">
“Ah, there, now I can hear you. Who are you? You’re really different looking.” “I’m Candy Corn,” she said happily.</div>
<div class="p2">
“You…you’re Candy Corn eh?” “That’s right! Who are you?” “I’m Licorice. Hello.” “What is this place,” Candy Corn asked.</div>
<div class="p2">
“It’s a grocery store,” said Licorice. “We’re on a shelf. Butterscotch told me something. He said that people will come here and take us to their homes and put us in bags for little people. What do you think of that?”</div>
<div class="p2">
“Wow! That sounds like fun!”</div>
<div class="p2">
“Are you always so cheerful and happy,” Licorice said feeling a little overwhelmed by Candy Corn’s enthusiasm.</div>
<div class="p2">
“I’ve always been like this as far back as I can remember,” Candy Corn answered.</div>
<div class="p2">
“Well, you are very colorful. Yellow and orange and a little white. A very pleasing effect,” Licorice commented, “I noticed everyone else with you are all the same colors.”</div>
<div class="p2">
“Yes, we all like to be colorful in the same way. You<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>have lots of colors too. I see black and red and yellow and all sorts of colors. I like it,” Candy Corn said, “Very stylish.”</div>
<div class="p2">
“Do you think we have a purpose besides being as sweet as we are,” asked Candy Corn.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></div>
<div class="p2">
“Well, it seems that people don’t always know how to say nice things to each other or even to talk to each other and sometimes they like to bring out<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>sweet things like us, candy, that can cheer everybody up,”Licorice responded.</div>
<div class="p2">
“Now I understand that…” said Candy Corn “…but isn’t there something that can be done so that human beings could still enjoy candy but don’t use it instead of being able to talk to each other?"</div>
<div class="p2">
“Wow, that’s a pretty profound thought for candy,” said Butterscotch chiming in to the conversation.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></div>
<div class="p2">
“Still, maybe there is,” Candy Corn continued feeling inspired, “Maybe we could start a new slogan called, Candy or conversation or both!”</div>
<div class="p2">
“I like that,”Licorice and Butterscotch said together, “That’s good” “Let’s do that,” They all said together in happy excitement.</div>
<div class="p3">
———————</div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: small;">It’s okay for Halloween to be sweet as well as fun. Hope you have good times, good talks and maybe new friends too. Goodlife<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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Robert Shapirohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15834558788450735235noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20020108.post-19701467443440324132017-07-08T15:02:00.000-10:002019-02-15T12:31:10.835-10:00Happy Returns<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZcBxxYzhb6Ys8ZSCRnJnSDtDeDh9YA8PS7Op1_WiegUEGbx6dtqX6tYageCO6N5DR9eMThj2wfQhrVMSFiYRZRHH0wdIMch0B_A5XwWmeI8eC2Di4lCYzi4ntdtPB7Gg_gmkxDA/s1600/7-8-17+For+Happy+Returns+story.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="264" data-original-width="429" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZcBxxYzhb6Ys8ZSCRnJnSDtDeDh9YA8PS7Op1_WiegUEGbx6dtqX6tYageCO6N5DR9eMThj2wfQhrVMSFiYRZRHH0wdIMch0B_A5XwWmeI8eC2Di4lCYzi4ntdtPB7Gg_gmkxDA/s320/7-8-17+For+Happy+Returns+story.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div class="p1">
He felt like he’d just woken up from a deep dream. He smiled and looked up. Bright blue with a few puffy white clouds and he smiled wider. “Oh, this is perfect,” he thought.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
He looked down towards the villages and cities, for he could see in all directions being at the very top of the mountain. “It looks quiet but there’s sort of a sadness there,” he thought to himself, “I wonder if they’re missing something?”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
Sky, his dog, who had been laying beside him during his long nap looked at him and said, in that special way they had of talking just through their eyes, something that helped him to understand.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
Sky said, “They are missing you. They are missing that naturally happy part of themselves. You don’t remember but you came up here because the people began losing their happiness and since you are the one that holds and protects the peoples happiness you came up here to keep it safe. Do you remember now?”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
“<i>Yes</i>”, said he said, “I do remember that now. Thank you for reminding me. Perhaps we should come down from the mountain.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
“Yes Hap,” Sky said, “Lets come down from the mountain now and you can sprinkle your happiness all the way down.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
“How shall I do that,” He asked. Sky said, “The clouds are forming above you now because <i>they</i> will help. So just look at the clouds.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
Hap looked up at the clouds and soon they became heavy and thick and a slight golden and green color appeared that looked a bit like a rainbow and then there was pink and light blue as well. “Oh, I like those colors the clouds are.” “Yes,” Sky responded, “Very nice. Now just be yourself and look at the clouds.”</div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
Hap was filled with his own happiness and looked at the clouds and soon the clouds spread out all over the land. The mountain, yes, the small villages and the cities and all over the planet and rained lightly.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
Some people remember the rain that came in different colors and <i>felt</i> like it was tingly and after that, people were happy and liked each other and weren’t mad at each other for reasons they couldn’t even remember anymore.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Life got better and Hap was able to come down from the mountain with his dog Sky and all was well again.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br />
<br />
May Happiness visit you soon and your town or your city and may it visit all your friends and family and for that to happen in the most benevolent way for you <i>all</i> now. Goodlife</div>
Robert Shapirohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15834558788450735235noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20020108.post-45294444513430294872017-05-26T12:12:00.000-10:002019-02-15T12:37:46.705-10:00An Unexpected Leaf<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Tom crawled out from under the leaf. It had fallen on him and was a complete surprise. He thought he’d never get out from underneath it. </span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"> “Oof,” he said as he finally got out from under. He didn’t take it personally of course, because leaves do fall and of course they come back again and that’s a great joy of living in the forest.</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"> “Renewal,” he thought to himself, “That’s always the way it happens. It’s very unexpected. You come to the end of what ever it is for you and you just sort of go away.”</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Tom had experienced this himself many times as an earthworm but it was unusual to be a portion of it and of course when the leaf hit him, unexpectedly, on the head and made him a little bit fuzzy there for a minute, he was thinking, “Is this the season?”</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><span style="font-size: xx-small;">He looked around and he said, “No, no. This is Spring.” So he was confused.</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"> He looked up in the tree. It wasn’t very far up because it was not a very big tree and there sitting on a branch where the leaf may have fallen off was his friend Arnie, the squirrel.</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"> “Oh”, he thought. He smiled at Arnie and Arnie laughed. They were old friends. He never thought that Arnie would be able to drop a leaf and it fall exactly on top of him since leaves like to flutter when they fall.</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Tom laughed out loud and Arnie ran down and they laughed together. Arnie said, “I can’t believe the leaf landed right on top of you.”</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"> He laughed as he said, “I’ve been trying to do that for about 3 or 4 leaves and I don’t think you ever noticed it because the leaf just flew by.”</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"> “I didn’t notice it,” Tom said. “But this time I couldn’t help but notice it. I’m glad you didn’t pick a really heavy leaf. This one kind of made me a little dizzy.”</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"> “Oh, I’m sorry,” Arnie said sincerely, “I didn’t realize I’d hurt you.” Arnie came up close to Tom and brushed Tom gently with his fur. “Does that feel better?”</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"> “Oh yes,” Tom said. “Oh, that’s better. Thank you!”</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"> “I’m sorry,” Arnie said, “I’ll never do that again, I promise.”</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div>
<div class="p1">
Tom said, “Can I trust you on that?” “Yes really,” Arnie replied, “I’ll never play a joke on you again. You’re my best friend. I don’t want to hurt you!”</div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"> “Okay,” Tom said, “I forgive you.” “Arnie offered, “Do you want to go for a ride?” Tom said, “As long as it’s a short one and please not up in the tree.” “Okay,” Arnie replied.</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"> “I know you like to go up in the tree, “Tom said, “but it scares me. After all, I live underground most of the time.”</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"> “I know”, Arnie said, “that kind of scares me.” They looked at each other and laughed and they both said almost at the same time, “We sure are a couple of strange friends aren’t we.”</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div>
<div class="p2">
They both laughed and Arnie laid down and Tom got on and they took a slow walk around the forest. Tom looked around to make sure everything was safe for them and thought that it is a good thing that there are lots of trees so they could walk and be protected by low hanging branches. As he appreciated that he relaxed more riding on his friend.</div>
<div class="p2">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"> Tom said, “That’s a nice ride but I think I’ll go back home now.” “Okay,” Arnie said and carefully went over to where the opening was to Tom’s home.</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"> “Arnie asked, “Come out tomorrow and play some time with me?” “Anytime, anytime but tonight I think I’m going to go down to my house and I’m just going to rest and take it easy. With my exciting friend, I can’t do this too often.”</span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></div>
<div class="p2">
They both laughed. Arnie knew that Tom was just kidding and away they both went to their homes.</div>
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------------------------------<br />
Forgive somebody today, it’ll make you feel better and them too. Goodlife</div>
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</style>Robert Shapirohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15834558788450735235noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20020108.post-40199442306871273732017-04-03T13:25:00.000-10:002017-05-29T14:11:20.610-10:00Someday Soon<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div class="p1">
<span style="font-size: small;"> Arcan circled over the planet. It was certainly beautiful. Blue and white and green. He’d never seen a planet like that. He got a little closer and he looked at the northern part of the planet. He hadn’t seen that before. There was these beautiful colors just dancing around - it was brilliant and wonderful and marvelous. </span><br />
He got a little closer and he saw some people. He was actually not that far from them. They were pointing in his direction - he wasn’t too surprised.</div>
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He swooped down and settled on a log and the people ran over and they said, “What kind of bird are you” and Arcan thought about that and said, “I’m the bird of change and transformation. I help to bring out the good parts in people and help them to let go of the parts they don’t like so much.”</div>
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“We’re already feeling better,” the people were saying, “It’s wonderful. Will you stay with us for a while.” “I’ll stay for just a little while,” he said and Arcan flew around the places where the people were and then he came back and settled back down on the log and the people were all smiling and sitting down and at that time were having a meal.</div>
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Arcan looked around. They seemed to be happy. Things looked better. The children were playing and not fighting over any toys and everyone seemed to be much better.</div>
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The people waved at Arcan and he flew on. “I wonder where else I have to go on the planet,” he thought and he flew over a body of water.</div>
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It was <i>very vast</i> and since he could float he settled down on the water and pretty soon people who swim in the water - some big, very big and some very small swam up to the surface and they said, “Who are you” and he said, “I am Arcan” and a big swimmer came up and said, “I know this person.”</div>
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Arcan recognized the whale immediately, an old friend. “Good to see you, my friend,” said Arcan. “Yes, good to see you too. I will tell them all about who you are and what you do. You can fly on now if you wish,” whale said. “Thank you,” Arcan said and off he flew.</div>
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He got a little closer to a place where there were many structures, many buildings but he noticed at the top of one building there was a garden. Someone had planted fruits and vegetables and a few flowers just for beauty.</div>
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He swirled around and landed on a small bench and the gardener came over and said, “I have never seen a bird like you,” and Arcan said, “Thank you.” The gardener said, “You seem to have a sort of <i>glow</i> about you.” “Thank you,” said Arcan. “And I can hear you speaking,” said the gardener. “Yes, I hear you as well. Is your life all right,” Arcan said.</div>
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The gardener said, “Well, I come up here to the garden because sometimes people are not pleasant and sometimes I am not pleasant in return and I would like to be different, maybe better.”</div>
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Arcan said, “Here, let me help.” He flew up in the air and swirled around over the gardener and settled back down on the small bench. The gardener said softly, “I feel so much better.” Arcan flew up again and flew around the garden and the fruits and vegetables and flowers glowed a bit.</div>
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“I think,” Arcan said, “I will fly around other places where there is food and maybe I could help to bring about a change for the better.” The gardener waved at him and off Arcan went and he’s been flying ever since.</div>
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Maybe you’ll see him someday soon.</div>
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Robert Shapirohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15834558788450735235noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20020108.post-89524053450033780512017-02-25T11:05:00.000-10:002017-02-25T11:05:39.409-10:00If Only<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje1Hg5IiDUGxiENCB0dv_Sl2sIqmiER4h_6kIjYiMPor9MeE-25nqTqf_wqG_3WHkR66DAxgCTmElFZLEvXgVAQDdcos_gvtSczBm9yQbGtLfgEV2oHZBkvcHuRcPQBf9ZJrIbEQ/s1600/Forest%253B+use+for+If+Only+story.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje1Hg5IiDUGxiENCB0dv_Sl2sIqmiER4h_6kIjYiMPor9MeE-25nqTqf_wqG_3WHkR66DAxgCTmElFZLEvXgVAQDdcos_gvtSczBm9yQbGtLfgEV2oHZBkvcHuRcPQBf9ZJrIbEQ/s320/Forest%253B+use+for+If+Only+story.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Walking across the prairie, the giraffe looked in all directions. He didn’t see anyone except his friend, the little one. Little One was also looking out. They got to a spot where there were a few trees and there were a few birds looking on but they were friends. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Giraffe looked down at his friend Little One and Little One looked back up and they smiled at each other and Giraffe </span><i style="font-size: medium;">slowly</i><span style="font-size: small;"> shrank and got smaller and smaller until he looked just like Little One and they played in the grass and jumped around and found nuts and little foods that they could eat and they had fun and then they went over to the tree and the birds came down and they turned into birds and flew around in the sky with all the other birds.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Then, after a time they all came back and the birds settled in the trees but Giraffe and Little One settled on the ground and they turned into beings like Little One and then Giraffe slowly got bigger and bigger and bigger until he was his normal size and they looked at each other, Little One and Giraffe, and smiled and Giraffe could see into the trees and the birds were all smiling too with their eyes glittering and they were almost winking, the way birds wink, in a happy way. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Giraffe thought to himself, “If only people could do this so they could find out what it’s like to be other beings - to be different - to be completely different then what you are but to discover the <i>joy of it</i> as we are able to do by some miracle.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Giraffe discussed this with his friend, Little One and they said, “If only” and the birds nodded in agreement. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">“Maybe it could happen for people somehow if they imagine it and actually try to feel it - you know - feel what it feels like,” Little One said. Little One looked at Giraffe and Giraffe thought about it and said, “Maybe.” Little One looked at the birds and the birds nodded with their maybe nod. They all smiled at each other. Maybe.</span></div>
<br />Robert Shapirohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15834558788450735235noreply@blogger.com2