Searcher and Flipperjo,

Andrea is wonderful. He's an inspiration. He's definitely as good as Pavarotti (Sp?)

The two of you have the gift of soul. You have loving hearts. You express yourselves in ways that reach others. Your words, your pain, your hearts can help others heal.

We all are gifts to each other, if we allow ourselves to open to it. If you ask yourselves, what was I born to do - of all the things I am doing with my life, what can I let go of to make room for what is really important? The time to write the book shows up, if you "make" the time. I had to make the time to write the book about my brother's tragedy. After I started writing the book, I wrote to bestselling inspirational writer, Og Mandino, about the way his book, The Choice, had inspired me. It's excellent. I also mentioned briefly that I had made a decision to write a book and was writing it. He wrote back a handwritten message. This is what he said, "Now that you have made your decision, don't let anyone or anything keep you from doing it."

I kept writing. It took me from 1981 to 1993 to get it into print. It was worth it.

I encourage both of you to search your hearts. Deep inside you know your paths.

Peace and Light to you,
Vi

vi,

And he's kinda hunky, huh?
when I first heard him sing, son Sam was in the kitchen, also listening, so I yelled to him from the living room "Sam, we are hearing the FOURTH tenor!!@##!!! I was SO excited..and sure enough, in a couple of months, people were calling him just that. And he studied under Pavarotti, so - yeah, I think he's every bit as good and can do pop besides. The thing I like about him also, tho' is that he is somewhat of an adventurest even with his blindess. He jumps out of airplanes, and skis with Alberto Tombe, besides raising and riding horses. Must be where he gets his "soul".... Well, enuf 'bout Bocelli..

I want to get your book and the one by the other guy, Og Mandino? Never heard of him, but sounds like OUR kind of people...YOU are making me want to get started - think I'll do as Flipper says and go hunt up my scraps. Coulld take me a month to find them all...There is something in my self that is telling me to do this.Besides you and encouragement from the other Boomers. So I will. Better not rebuff our own spirits, they have power.....(a little LOL). So stay buy us, Vi, I'll be needing you.......

Flipperjo,

I wish I could put my arms around you. And we could sob together until we had enough for one day. You are still needing the knowing love of another sister . I wish your family just intuitively would know what you need. But we must find family wherever we can. Sounds like you have found some release in your bereavement group - I think I found them on the net once..I never joined because I , too, have a special deal going on because of Nichole's illness. There are differences. Mother's and children have each a special relationship with our children, and another addition when that child is ill. So Bonnie and I can discuss this side of our lives, but I am surely glad to have you too. And then esp. as a fellow N.Dakotan!!!Now there's a discussion in the making.....

I will surely send you pictures - I'll need to inform my computer just how she should do this- and also send you some essays or written experiences from our lives, no shortage there....I was thinking - maybe we could do a compilation of short essays and then write an epilogue, or a prologue? Just a thought....

So speak to me woman, I am listening!!

Oh, and you Italian ladies out there---some of us covet your men!! (Italian ones I'm saying - something about those dark eyes, that dark hair- that very VIRILE look -- smo-o-o-o-o-key). (MOI? thinking about men? must be that Bocelli character or maybe, I'm beginning to feel better..hmmmmmm).

Search (maybe you should call me "sparky" after today)LOL

Searcher,

What I find appealing first about a guy is his eyes. Even with Andrea Bocelli - though his are closed. There's a softness of expression there that is so nice. The first singer I thought that about was Ricky Nelson. I was eight and so in love with the softness of his eyes. Showing my age, here. I'd never liked opera until I heard Pavarotti. Hearing his voice - hearing him sing Ava Maria - and I'm not Catholic....wow. I saw one of the shows on PBS where he introduced Bocelli. It was a thrill, for now there were two of them.

Glad you are going to hunt up your scraps. And if you need moral support anywhere along the way, feel free to send me a private message, and I will respond. I'd give you my email address right here, but then I'd start getting all kinds of spam. Those robot things have done me in before when I posted my email address in a thread.

As for my book - in case you haven't read a thread where I mentioned it before. It's called Hidden Victims: The Other Side of Murder and is available used on Amazon.com. It's out of print. My pen name is Violet M. Franck.

Og Mandino wrote a bunch of novels that are quite wonderful, especially if you want to feel special and/or inspired. The Choice is a ficitonal account of his real life decision to give up a lucrative career and write books. It is currently available in paperback on Amazon.com. I really suggest reading this book if you want motivation/inspiration to write.

What I believe in most is the beauty and gifts within each person. It is always my hope to encourage others to bring theirs to fruition.

Vi