  Spiritual
This week: Try a Little Tenderness Edited by: Shannon  
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Welcome to the Spiritual Newsletter. I am Shannon and I'm your guest editor this week. |
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"Of all the weapons of destruction that man could invent, the most terrible--and the most powerful--was the word. Daggers and spears left traces of blood; arrows could be seen at a distance. Poisons were detected in the end and avoided, but the word managed to destroy without leaving clues." ~ Paulo Coelho
As the grandmother of an autistic child, bullying is a topic close to my heart. Autistic children are more likely to be picked on and harassed at school, but bullies are equal opportunity offenders.
I recently became aware of the story of Amanda Todd, a 15-year-old Canadian teenager who was relentlessly tormented and teased, ganged up on and physically abused by her classmates. On September 7, 2012 Amanda uploaded a video to YouTube detailing her struggles and reaching out to someone--anyone--who cared. On October 10, 2012 she took her own life.
I think what surprises me even more than the way she was treated when she was alive are the horrific comments people have made after her death. I've never understood the desire to intentionally hurt another person, and I certainly don't understand celebrating the death of a fellow human being. This kind of behavior raises more questions than it answers, and it leaves the world a little sadder, a little darker, a little more dismal than before.
Kindness, like bigotry and hate, begins in childhood and is cultivated throughout a lifetime. Every day I am grateful to my parents for instilling in me a predisposition to kindness, and I, in turn, have attempted to instill it in my own children. "If you see someone being picked on on the playground, don't just stand there and watch it happen," I used to tell my kids. "Do what's right and stick up for him. Befriend the kids no one else plays with." Now my 21-year-old son cares for developmentally delayed and/or otherwise mentally/physically challenged teenagers and adults. Five days a week he travels to their homes to administer medications, cook them dinner, and spend time with them. This is the job he's chosen for himself, at least for now, and I couldn't be more proud of him.
What kind of legacy are we leaving behind? What are we teaching our children? What kind of an example are we setting? Every word that comes out of our mouths has an impact, either positively or negatively. When someone's hurting and reaching out, do we help or hinder?
Be conscious of the words you use. Slow down. Put some space between your emotions and your response. Breathe. And remember what Thumper said: "If you can't say something nice, don't say nothing at all."
Thank you for reading.
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In my August 29 newsletter I posed a challenge: Have you experienced the miraculous? Have you encountered something that just seemed too good or too weird to be true? If so, I'd love to hear about it! Send your responses to me in an email using 1,000 words or less. The author of my favorite entry will receive a Spiritual Merit Badge.
Unfortunately I didn't receive very many responses, but the one that struck a chord in me was submitted by thetrwebster and is included below:
Since beginning my personal journey with my eyes as open as possible, there have been so many instances of synchronicity ... too many to elaborate on. An issue of mine is money and one instance which stands out is a time when, after therapy, I was hungry yet had only my bus fare home. As I walked to the bus stop I found a $10 bill on the ground. A few hours later, at work, I was given a $10 tip. The next day, needing to pay what I thought was going to be a much larger fine for a traffic ticket, the clerk at the office told me, "That will be $10." Huh? For me, being aware of when the life lines meet is important in that it tells me I have not fallen back to "sleep".
Thank you, Terry, for sharing your story, and thank you for noticing.
I hope you enjoy this week's featured selections, and please remember to do the authors the courtesy of reviewing the ones you read. Thank you, and have a great week!
| |  | Invalid Item
This item number is not valid.
#1899688 by Not Available. |
| | | Invalid Item
This item number is not valid.
#1213585 by Not Available. |
| |  | To My Daughter (E)
A father reminds his daughter to fight to remember the good things about her brother.
#481465 by Ron Henry  |
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Have an opinion on what you've read here today? Then send the Editor feedback! Find an item that you think would be perfect for showcasing here? Submit it for consideration in the newsletter!
https://www.Writing.Com/go/nl_form
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The following is in response to "Spiritual Newsletter (August 29, 2012)" :
Quick-Quill  says, "What an awesome NL. I am going to get that book on my Kindle. Your account has inspired me. I live and love to see the miracles God puts in our lives to give us hope. We all should try 'noticing' more in our daily lives." Thank you, Tina! I don't think you'll be disappointed.
ANN Counselor, Lesbian & Happy says, "You mentioned Boise. My hometown for all of my career...I left in 1999. great place, Boise, Idaho." Yes, Ann! It certainly is. 
Joy  says, "What a story! That certainly is synchronicity, Shannon. Thanks for a great NL.  " Aw, thank you, Joy! 
The following is in response to "Spiritual Newsletter (March 14, 2012)" :
Incurable Romantic says, "Shannon, your newsletter on forgiveness was right on target. For years I couldn't forgive my mother for the way she bent over backwards to keep me from being in a committed relationship with my high school sweetheart. Her effort backfired when I left home and college so I had legal control of my own life. She had made the first 1 1/2 years of my new relationship a nightmare. Linda and I eloped at 19 and I never looked back. Only at Linda's funeral after an all-too-short 11 1/2 years of marriage did my mother even hint that she could have been wrong about Linda. That was 1980. And only about 2009 after a strong sermon on the subject was I able to forgive my mother, who died in 1998 of cancer, for her actions in those early years. But once I did it, before leaving the sanctuary that Sunday morning, a massive burden was lifted from my shoulders. The only person we are hurting by not forgiving others, is ourselves. Your NL was a wonderful way to get that across to others." Thank you for sharing your story, Jim. I am so sorry for your loss. I pray you continue to heal and are successful in whatever you choose to pursue in life. Peace and blessings. 
The following items were submitted by their authors:
| | | My Prayer (E)
This poem was written about ten years ago and I decided to revise it.
#1896768 by Cherish |
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| ASIN: 197380364X |
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Amazon's Price: $ 15.99
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Spiritual: October 24, 2012 Issue [#5320]
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