It seems like only a few weeks ago that Nancy Bryans and I were working on the Awards Dinner scheduled for April and the next thing I know it’s October. Tony and I have had an eventful time since June, as you may recall in my AAA story. But after that, we were beset with medical bills–not for us, but for our dog, Dixie. At a routine check up, her vet said she may have tumors on her thyroid and need surgery. He was right, she did. The surgery was successful, but her recovery took much longer than we anticipated. It was also more expensive than we anticipated. She is 12 and we think she may have suffered a minor stroke during surgery, as her back legs tend to give out as she is walking, but we are hopeful that she will continue to get better and be with us for a long while.
Having said all of that, let’s talk about our October stories. Dan Neizmik gives us, “Everything’s Gonna Be Alright,” about the strange happenings in an old family home. Maryann Nunnalley talks about mentoring a Japanese student and how their lives were enriched by her visit. Read, “Laughing in the Golden Years,” to see how a small Japanese doll triggered some wonderful memories.
Dan Mask wrote a powerful poem called, “What Remains,” about the beauty of nature, now gone.
I wrote about October being Domestic Violence Awareness Month. I shared things that not many people know about me, because I have experienced many forms of domestic violence and abuse. It is not something I talk about often, but it is something that we should all be trying to eliminate from our society. Domestic violence leaves many types of scars and no one should have to go through it.
Along that thought, Lisa Mote asks us to, “Do Some Good Every Day,” and I think she is right. It doesn’t take much to be kind or doing something good.
And, finally, Katie Steve wrote, “Tranquility Within,” inspired by a painting by Claude Monet. It does, indeed slow your heart rate down and takes you to a quiet place.
We have many noteworthy and interesting contributed stories, so don’t miss them.
The holiday season is just around the corner–our lives are going to get busy. Take a moment for yourself to read what our wonderful writers have to offer and find some tranquility within.
Jan Morgan-Swegle
