Table of Contents
Introduction xi
1 Taking the Challenge
My Mother's Greatest Gift Marie Ragghianti 2
The Ugliest Cat in the World Penny Porter 8
Small Soldiers Rachel Berry 14
Journey Out of Silence William L. Rush 19
The Flight of the Red-Tail Penny Porter 23
Albert Magi Hart 32
The Racking Horse Lori Bledsoe Rhonda Reese 34
Tina's Ten Points Tom Krause 39
Don't Quit Clinton Howell 41
Beat the Drum Carol Barre 42
The Letter Julane DeBoer Bill Holton 46
Just Do What You Can D'ette Corona 50
2 Living Your Dream
Dare to Imagine Marilyn King Carol Kline 52
The Little Girl Who Dared to Wish Alan D. Shultz 55
Perseverance Anne Stortz 58
Never Give Up Jason Morin 59
How to Be New and Different Patricia Lorenz 62
I Was Thirty-Seven Years Old at the Time Erma Bombeck 67
3 The Power of Love
No Greater Love Col. John W. Mansur 70
Dharma Deborah Tyler Blais 73
Dear Jesse Paula Bachleda Koskey 78
The Other Mother Diane Payne 81
Washing Teddy Bears Jean Bole 84
To Love Enough Cynthia M. Hamond 87
The Angel Who Fetched Susan McElroy 90
Ben Terry Boisot 94
Heaven's Very Special Child John Edna Massimilla 97
Lavender Roses Charles A. Hart 99
4 The Power of Support
The Ludenschide Connection Penny Porter 106
The Day I Finally Cried Meg Hill 112
The Sound of One Hand Clapping Tim Hansel 115
The Writer Willy McNamara 116
Tzippie Ruchoma Shain 118
Sharing Beauty Sherry Maddox 121
Mama's Visit Victoria Robinson 123
Margaret of New Orleans Sara Cone Bryant 128
Bridge Builder Will Allen Dromgoole 131
The Yellow Ribbon Nikki Willett 133
And, And, And Robin L. Silverman 136
5 Insights and Lessons
The Day at the Beach Arthur Gordon 140
A Lesson in Cloud Recognition Joyce A. Harvey 146
A Story to Live Anne Wells 149
Sensory Deprivation Deborah E. Hill 152
The Birthday Present Mavis Burton Ferguson 154
Mrs. George William L. Rush 156
A Bowl of Humility Linda LaRocque 160
Wind Beneath My Wings Karyl Chastain Beal 163
Sorrow Abraham Lincoln 168
How I Came to Terms Mike Cottrill Bill Holton 169
Like Me Emily Perl Kingsley 173
6 On Courage and Determination
The Victim's Voice Richard Jerome 178
Barriers or Hurdles? Irvine Johnston 183
A Tribute to Courage Victoria Robinson 185
Riley Jeffrey Weinstein 189
You Can Beat the Odds and Be a Winner, Too Abigail Van Buren 192
Superman Learns How to Ride Robert Tate Miller 194
A Father's Advice Christopher de Vinck 197
Highsights Erik Weihenmayer 200
Ode to the Champions Tom Krause 206
Ask Creatively The Best of Bits & Pieces 208
Never Say Quit Bob Hoppenstedt 210
Struggle and Victory Lila Jones Cathey 216
Mothers of Disabled Children Erma Bombeck 222
7 On Attitude
Third-Place Winner Bettie B. Youngs 226
Challenger Baseball Darrell J. Burnett 229
Don't Worry, Be Happy Mindy Pollack-Fusi 232
The Wake Melva Haggar Dye 238
The Power of Forgiveness Chris Carrier 242
Happy Birthday Willanne Ackerman 245
Manners Paul Karrer 249
Born to Live, Born to Love Eileen Goltz 251
Table Manners Adele Frances 254
Mirror, Mirror on the Wall Karen Klosterman 258
8 A Matter of Perspective
Big Willy Nancy Bouchard 262
Just Playing Anita Wadley 264
The Cracked Pot Willy McNamara 266
A Flight of Geese Fred Lloyd Cochran 269
Sledding Robin L. Silverman 271
The Hill Betty J. Reid 274
The Halfway Point Dennis J. Alexander 276
I Talk to Me Phil Colburn 280
Obstacle Illusions Heidi Marotz 282
My New Set of Wheels Darlene Uggen 285
What Should I Fear? David L. Weatherford 287
9 Eclectic Wisdom
What's Wrong with Your Dad? Carol Darnell 290
Cyclops Stole Our Hearts Penny Porter 293
An Act of Faith Walter W. Meade 298
Benny's Balloon Michael Cody 303
One, Two, Three Henry Cuyler Bunner 305
Mother's Hands Janie Emaus 307
The Game Christa Holder Ocker 311
Hussy Sunsets Milly VanDerpool 315
Two Brothers Willianne Ackerman 319
Who Is Jack Canfield? 321
Who Is Mark Victor Hansen? 322
Who Is Heather McNamara? 323
Contributors 324
Permissions 334
