Mary Mooney began writing after the age of forty. Living in Jakarta, Indonesia, for three years gave her a new appreciation for her family, country and world. She is certified as a multicultural, diversity trainer and hopes to have her first children’s picture book dealing with diversity, Happy Family Cookies, published soon. E-mail: [email protected] or [email protected]

  Cornel Nistorescu, fifty-three, is one of Romania’s most influential journalists. During a career spanning almost thirty years, he worked as a reporter, columnist and senior editor. He has published three books, founded a press group and a radio station. He has written for publications in Belgium, Holland, France and the United States. Currently he is the managing director of the daily newspaper, Evenimentul Zilei, in which he is publishing his daily column. Contact him at: [email protected]; fax: +4 01 202 20 10.

  Jennifer Oliver, wife of househubby, Stephen, and four beautiful children, is a Webmaster for a government organization in central Texas. Her stories have appeared in several e-zines and in “Heartwarmers of Love.” She is currently writing a fictional romance novel and managing a Web site for inspirational stories. E-mail: [email protected]

  David Page is an elementary school principal in the suburban Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, area. He is a writer of poetry, short stories, TV scripts and plays. Two of his most well-known pieces are the comedy, If I Only Knew Then, and the musical, Resisting Gravity (starring Grammy Award-winner, William Warfield.) David lectures nationally. E-mail: [email protected]

  Jeff Parker has been editorial cartoonist at Florida Today since 1992. His cartoons are distributed to newspapers throughout the United States by Cagle.com. Jeff also assists Dean Young and Denis Lebrun with the art chores on the renowned comic strip, “Blondie,” for King Features.

  Annie Perryman is a twelve-year-old, born and raised in rural Oregon, who loves Father-Mother God, family and friends, Sunday school, America, school, tap and jazz dancing (ten years), horses (especially at Grammy’s farm and Cedars Camps), karate (Green Belt), soccer (four years), storytelling (County Hall of Fame), speech (first place), modeling, acting, reading, fishing, and her dog and cat. E-mail: [email protected]

  Judith Simon Prager, Ph.D., clinical hypnotherapist, trains first responders, pediatric interns and psychiatric nurses in verbal first aid. With Judith Acosta, LCSW, she has written The Worst Is Over: What to Say When Every Moment Counts about words that can calm, relieve pain, promote healing and save lives. Web site: www.theworstisover.com.

  Carol McAdoo Rehme, a frequent contributor to Chicken Soup for the Soul and other inspirational books, is a full-time storyteller, speaker and author. Her latest passion is a pilot program, “Silver Linings for Golden Agers.” It is the recipient of several grants and provides highly interactive, multi-sensory presentations at eldercare facilities. Contact her at: [email protected] or www.rehme.com?.

  Harriet May Savitz was born in Newark, New Jersey, and grew up during the depression. She is the award-winning author of twenty-one books and two essay collections, Growing Up At 62 and Messages from Somewhere: Inspiring Stories of Life After 60 (Little Treasure Publications, Inc.). To learn more, visit www.harrietmaysavitz.com.

  Cheryl Sawyer is coordinator of the Counselor Education Program at the University of Houston Clear Lake. Cheryl enjoys traveling, camping and playing with her children. As a nationally recognized speaker in educational fields, Cheryl is available for conference or workshop presentations. She has recently been honored as the Clear Lake City, Texas, Barnes & Noble author-of-the-month. Please reach her at: [email protected] or [email protected]

  Howard Schnauber is a retired state park manager and real estate agent. He was Marine Sgt. from 1941 to 1946, and fought on Guadalcanal and Peleliu. Joined the 40th Div. 160th Reg. Tank Co. during the Korean War and was the recipient of four Purple Hearts. Past Commander and active in the D.A.V. for over 15 years. He has written articles for the Fort Collins Coloradoan. Neva and Howard have been married for forty-five years.

  Raised in the Midwest, Joyce Schowalter gardens, e-mails, and markets drinking water purifiers via her Web site: www.AlwaysPure.com. She invites you to check out inspiring true stories of heroes in everyday life at HeroicStories.com, where her signature is “Co-Conspirator to Make the World a Better Place.”

  Julie Jordan Scott is a Passionate Living coach, writer, speaker and Mom extraodinaire who lives with her four children in Bakersfield, California. She has taught thousands of people worldwide to live with passion everyday. To contact Julie, call 661-325-4116, e-mail: [email protected] or visit her Web site: http://www.5passions.com.

  David Skidmore, his wife, Melissa, and daughters, Daisy Sue and Anna Belle, live in Tennessee, where he serves as youth minister for the North Boulevard Church of Christ. He speaks often to teens, and enjoys watching his daughters entertain the world. He can be reached at [email protected] or at 615-893-1520.

  Jon Sternoff’s goal is to inspire others to inspire others. Since 1992 he has maintained his own romance related inspirational Web site, Romance 101 (www.rom101.com). His source of inspiration can be found with his wife, Janel, and his two basenjis, Tosh and Zoe. He can be reached at: [email protected]

  Ann Marquerite Swank is eighteen, majoring in fine art and child psychology. She still works with children in her family’s in-home childcare, and helps care for her disabled father. By auctioning her artwork, she raised over two thousand dollars for September 11 relief funds. Digital portfolio available and commissions accepted via: [email protected]

  Dave Timmons is a motivational speaker, singer and songwriter, specializing in leadership and personal growth. His background includes twenty-five years as an innovative leader in the banking industry. His mission is inspiring people to aim higher and achieve more in their personal and professional lives. Please contact him at: [email protected]

  Caroline Broida Trapp is a member of the Birmingham Temple of Farmington Hills, Michigan, a humanistic Jewish Congregation. An initial circulation of this story by her mother resulted in e-mail requests from around the world for Solly Ganor’s book. Contact: www.birminghamtemple.org or www.rongreen.com/solly.html for information on humanistic Judaism or Holocaust survivor Solly Ganor.

  Victoria Walker resides in Fort Myers, Florida, with her teenage son, Jeremy. She is a freelance writer, the owner of WordWalker Publishing, a company that specializes in business copywriting and informational e-books, and she is proud to be an American! For more information, visit her online at http://worldwalkerpublishing.com or http://victoriawalker.com.

  Tina Warren is a mother, writer and Web designer. Her work can be found at http://www.unifiedspirits.com. Tina enjoys the simple pleasures in life such as playing peek-a-boo with her son or making a stranger smile. E-mail her at: [email protected]

  Molly Lynn Watt divides her writing life between Antrim, New Hampshire, and Cambridge, Massachusetts. She is published in newspapers, magazines, journals and elsewhere. She is a forty-year veteran teacher, workshop leader and national consultant on school improvement. She lives with her husband, Dan, and is a grandmother of five.

  Bob Welch is a columnist at The Register-Guard newspaper in Eugene, Oregon and author of six books, including The Things That Matter Most and the Gold Medallion award-winning A Father for All Seasons. He can be contacted at [email protected]

  Jeannie S. Williams is a prolific author, lecturer and consultant in the field of education. She conducts dynamic staff development, parenting and student workshops and has more than twenty-five years’ experience working with teachers and parents. She is a frequent contributor to the Chicken Soup for the Soul books and the Stories for the Heart book series. Jeannie shares the joy of working with children in her two newest books, What Time Is Recess? and I Pledge Allegiance . . . From the Bottom of My Heart. She can be reached at P.O. Box 1476, Sikeston, MO 63801 or e-mail: [email protected]

  Ferida Wolff is the author of Listening Outside Listening Inside, an inspirational book
for adults, as well as fourteen books for children. She was both a student and teacher of yoga for twenty-six years and now facilitates meditation workshops. Please visit her Web site: www.feridawolff.com or contact her at [email protected]

  Permissions

  We would like to acknowledge the many publishers and individuals who granted us permission to reprint the cited material. (Note: The stories that were penned anonymously, that are in the public domain, or that were written by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen or Matthew E. Adams are not included in this listing.)

  A Time of Gifts. ©2001 by The New York Times Co. Reprinted by permission. Originally published in The New York Times, September 26, 2001.

  They Took a Vote. Reprinted by permission of Bill Holicky. ©2001 Bill Holicky.

  Let Us Be United. Reprinted by permission of Kimberly Beaven. ©2001 Kimberly Beaven.

  Do Unto Others and A Hero for Our Time. Reprinted by permission of Judith Simon Prager. ©2001 Judith Simon Prager.

  Firefighter’s Account from the World Trade Center. ©2001 by The New York Times Co. Reprinted by permission. Originally published in The New York Times, September 14, 2001.

  Two Heroes for the Price of One, New York Cabbies, No Words, Chance Encounter and Long-Distance Call. Reprinted by permission of Marsha Arons. ©2001 Marsha Arons.

  FYI. ©2001 by The New York Times Co. Reprinted by permission. Originally published in The New York Times, November 6, 2001.

  What Can Be Said? Reprinted by permission of Mike Daisey. ©2001 Mike Daisey.

  Twin Saving at the Twin Towers. ©2002 The Star-Ledger. All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission. Appeared in The Star-Ledger September 27, 2001.

  More Than Chocolate. Reprinted by permission of Terri Crisp and Carol Kline. ©2001 Terri Crisp and Carol Kline.

  E-Mails from Manhattan. Reprinted by permission of Meredith Englander. ©2001 Meredith Englander.

  Prayer Flags. Reprinted by permission of Marc Farre. ©2001 Marc Farre.

  Anxiously Awaiting. Reprinted by permission of Rosemarie Kwolek. ©2001 Rosemarie Kwolek.

  A Day in D.C. Reprinted by permission of Maria Miller Gordon. ©2001 Maria Miller Gordon.

  Last Call. Reprinted by permission of David A. Timmons. ©2001 David A. Timmons.

  The Vigil. ©2001 by The New York Times Co. Reprinted by permission. Originally published in The New York Times, November 6, 2001.

  A Picture and a Friendship. ©2001 by The New York Times Co. Reprinted by permission. Originally published in The New York Times, October 23, 2001.

  Memento. Reprinted by permission of Mary Sue Mooney. ©2001 Mary Sue Mooney.

  Dust. Reprinted by permission of David C. Page. ©2001 David C. Page.

  The Only Thing We Could Think Of. Reprinted by permission of Elizabeth M. Danehy. ©2001 Elizabeth M. Danehy.

  Playing for the Fighting 69th. Reprinted by permission of William Harvey. ©2001 William Harvey.

  Reflections from the Pit. Reprinted by permission of Thomas Gordon MacDonald. ©2001 Thomas Gordon MacDonald.

  Dear Mr. Cox. Reprinted by permission of Michael D’Antonio. ©2001 Michael D’Antonio.

  Dear Mike. Reprinted by permission of Fred O. Cox. ©2001 Fred O. Cox.

  Beep If You Love America and Neighbors Knowing Neighbors. Reprinted by permission of Harriet May Savitz. ©2001 Harriet May Savitz.

  The Face of America and How the Children Help. Reprinted with permission of HeroicStories.com, ©2001.

  Answering His Country’s Call. Reprinted with permission of The Dallas Morning News.

  His Dream Came True. The Miami Herald, Issue November 5, 2001 by Linda Robertson. ©2001 by The Miami Herald. Reprinted by permission of The Miami Herald via the Copyright Clearance Center.

  The Unity of Strangers. Reprinted by permission of Lynn Barker. ©2001 Lynn Barker.

  The Cops from Madison, Alabama. Reprinted by permission of Steven M. Gorelick, Ph.D. ©2001 Steven M. Gorelick, Ph.D.

  Given the Choice. Reprinted by permission of Aaron Espy. ©2001 Aaron Espy.

  Operation Teddy Bear. Reprinted by permission of Tina Warren. ©2001 Tina Warren.

  Send Beauty. Reprinted by permission of Theresa M. Goggin. ©2001 Theresa M. Goggin.

  The Crumpled Blue Ribbon. Reprinted by permission of Helice Bridges. ©2001 Helice Bridges.

  BOWS Across America. Reprinted by permission of Lisa Duncan. ©2001 Lisa Duncan.

  A Fishing Village Opens Its Heart to Surprise Guests. ©2001, Seattle Times Company. Used with permission.

  Smallest Gestures. Reprinted by permission of Deanna Cogdon. ©2001 Deanna Cogdon.

  Dear Dad. Reprinted by permission of Megan Michaela Hallinan. ©2001 Megan Michaela Hallinan.

  Four Simple Words. Reprinted by permission of Arthur Wilson Bowler. ©2001 Arthur Wilson Bowler.

  Hope from Abroad. Reprinted by permission of Bob Welch. ©2001 Bob Welch.

  Did You See Me? Reprinted by permission of Shelley Divnich Haggert. ©2001 Shelley Divnich Haggert.

  The American Flag. Reprinted by permission of Margaret Eleanor Braun-Haley. ©2001 Margaret Eleanor Braun-Haley.

  An Ode to America. ©2001 Evenimentul Zilei. Distributed by The New York Times Special Features/Syndication Sales.

  Tribute to the United States. Reprinted by permission of CFRB 1010, Toronto.

  The Aftermath. Reprinted by permission of Michele Wallace Campanelli. ©2001 Michele Wallace Campanelli.

  I Am the Flag of the United States of America. Reprinted by permission of Howard Schnauber. ©1996 Howard Schnauber.

  Just Ask Permission. Reprinted by permission of Thomas D. Adkins. ©1999 Thomas D. Adkins.

  Bring Us a Flag. Reprinted by permission of Jon M. Sternoff. ©2001 Jon M. Sternoff.

  Of Thee We Sing. Reprinted by permission of Jennifer Oliver. ©2001 Jennifer Oliver.

  I Pledge Allegiance to the Flag . . . From the Bottom of My Heart. Reprinted by permission of Jeannie S. Williams. ©2001 Jeannie S. Williams.

  I Am an American. Reprinted by permission of Danielle M. Giordano. ©2001 Danielle M. Giordano.

  One. Reprinted by permission of Cheryl Sawyer, Ed.D. ©2001 Cheryl Sawyer, Ed.D.

  Excerpt from the poem Love Lives. Reprinted by permission of Nancy L. Perryman. ©2001 Anne Marie Perryman. Posted on www.spirituality.com.

  The Ominous Sound: Racist Assumptions. ©2001, The Washington Post. Reprinted with permission.

  Our American Family. Reprinted by permission of Ferida Wolff. ©2001 Ferida Wolff.

  Vintage Voices. Reprinted by permission of Carol McAdoo Rehme. ©2001 Carol McAdoo Rehme.

  Time to Pray. Reprinted by permission of Kathy Ide. ©2001 Kathy Ide.

  Putting Things into Perspective. Reprinted by permission of Charles Memminger. ©2001 Charles Memminger.

  What I’ve Learned. Reprinted by permission of Victoria L. Walker. ©2001 Victoria L. Walker.

  Can’t We Call Game? Reprinted by permission of Molly Lynn Watt. ©2001 Molly Lynn Watt.

  Reflections from a New Father. Reprinted by permission of David Skidmore. ©2001 David Skidmore.

  The Mustard Seed. Reprinted by permission of Anne E. Carter. ©2001 Anne E. Carter.

  Ground Zero. Reprinted by permission of Patricia Lorenz. ©2001 Patricia Lorenz.

  Make it Green. Taken from the ROGER EBERT column by Roger Ebert ©2001 Dist. By UNIVERSAL PRESS SYNDICATE. Reprinted with permission. All rights reserved.

  Celebrate Life. Reprinted by permission of Caroline Broida Trapp. ©2001 Caroline Broida Trapp.

  What Is It? Reprinted by permission of Julie Jordan Smith. ©2001 Julie Jordan Smith.

  Something Special. Reprinted by permission of Pamela Lyn Bumpus. ©2001 Pamela Lyn Bumpus.

  Why Are You Waiting? Reprinted by permission of Christina M. Abt. ©2001 Christina M. Abt.

  Standing in Solidarity. Reprinted by permission of Shirley Boyer. ©2001 Shirley Boyer.

  Is This Normal. Reprinted by permission of Max Lucado. ©2001 Max Lucado
.

  Act Two. Reprinted by permission of Steve Goodier. ©2001 Steve Goodier.

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  copyright © 2012 Chicken Soup for the Soul Publishing, LLC

  ISBN: 978-1-4532-8021-8 (ePub)

  Cover design by Andrea C. Uva

  Interior design by Dawn Von Strolley Grove

  This 2012 edition distributed by Open Road Integrated Media

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