~ Welcome to Stories of Heart! ~

If you are not a subscriber and this has been passed on to you, join
us by sending a blank e-mail to [email protected]
with "subscribe" in the subject line. And get the love direct!

Tour our website: http://www.geocities.com/jenniferioliver2001

________________________________________________________

Folks, I participated in a bone marrow drive a few years ago, which
was sponsored by the Department of Defense, in which they drew blood
and put the results on file.  So imagine my shock when I received a
call out the blue that a preliminary match with my blood results has
been determined.  Pray that I may be able to afford someone else the
chance to live his or her life to the fullest!

Which brings us to our story...
________________________________________________________
WE ARE NOT ALONE


Lily Tomlin once quipped, "Just remember, we're all in this alone."

Scientists beg to differ.  They have been telling us that we are not
alone.

In other words, we should not be so arrogant to assume that we are
the only solar system in existence.  Evidence supports the fact that
we are cohabitating with billions upon billions of solar systems yet
to be unveiled.  Other worlds like ours may be out there, teeming
with life, hopes, and dreams.

Quite a humbling thought.  We are buoys gently floating in the ocean
we call the universe.

Yet you as a parent may not realize you have a solar system under
your roof.  We have four solar systems of our own.  Three boys and a
girl.

Not long ago I attended Open House with my boys at their school to
tour their classrooms, admire their artwork, and discuss their
progress with teachers.  The first stop before the classroom tours
took place in the cafeteria where we grabbed seats in the front row.

The President of the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) picked up the
microphone and began pitching the PTA full-speed at the audience to
promote its membership drive.

Suddenly she braked in mid-stream and zeroed in on my Kindergartener,
Ethan.

I was so wrapped up in her enthusiastic pitch, I'd failed to notice
that Ethan had been waving his little hand about in a bid for her
attention.

"Yes?" she asked.  "Do you have a question?"

"My name is Ethan," he said with great pride, cementing my conviction
of his destiny in the spotlight - as a politician.

Like your child and mine, Ethan is a solar system unto himself.  His
eyes reflect the stars, the world is his sun, and we - his parents -
are the moon that keeps him grounded.

We give our children the tools - telescopes, if you will - so that
they may view constellations beyond their reach.  Kindness. 
Sharing.  Touching.  Music.  Laughter.  Tears.  Prayers.

So that they know they are not alone.

Research shows that children with disorders related to autism,
although not outwardly responsive, crave this interaction.

Just ask Raun Kaufman.

When diagnosed with severe autism at the age of 18 months, completely
withdrawn from human contact, his parents were told his condition was
incurable.  Institutionalization, the experts said, would be their only
option.

The Kaufmans snubbed the experts by following their own instincts. 
Instincts that led them to develop an innovative program called The
Son-Rise Program®, achieving what the experts had deemed
impossible.

As a result, their son, Raun Kaufman, graduated with honors from high
school, earned a degree in Biomedical Ethics from Brown University,
then directed an educational center for school-aged children.  He
lectures internationally at conferences, symposia, and universities. 
He is an author, teacher, and the Director of Global Outreach for The
Son-Rise Program® at the Autism Treatment Center of America.

The secret?

Interaction.  Pure and simple.  Instead of condemning their son's
repetitive behavior, the Kaufmans joined in his activities.  They
spun plates with him, rocked when he did, flapped their hands in
imitation.  He showed them the way into his world so that they could
show him the way out.

Our first child, Cody, weighed one pound, six ounces, at birth.  When
his daddy unbuttoned his own shirt to press the ear of our hand-sized
preemie to his heartbeat, the monitor above the incubator flickered. 
I watched our baby's dangerously high blood pressure steadily decline
to a safer level.  He relaxed for the first time in weeks.  Thus the
art of kangarooing, this skin-to-skin bonding, proved to Cody that he
was not alone in the tangle of wires.

The rhythm of our world relies on bonding similar to this early on. 
Babies who are not touched or nourished suffer from a reactive
attachment disorder by developing mistrust of caregivers.  Unless
nurturing measures are taken, they are doomed to believe they live in
a solar system all their own.

You can prove Lily Tomlin wrong.  Prove it just by touching another
world.


Jennifer Oliver
[email protected]
Copyright © 2001 by Jennifer Oliver. All rights reserved.

*******
Learn more about The Son-Rise Program® at http://www.son-rise.org/.

_________________________________________________________
QUOTES FROM LESSER KNOWN PEOPLE

To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not
only plan, but also believe.  - Anatole France (sent in by Joy
Correira)

Six-year-old Cody is having lofty ambitions.  The other day he was
able to put a brand new roll of toilet paper on the holder all by
himself.  He was so proud of himself that he said, "Mom, when I grow
up I want to put the toilet paper on this all day long!"
_________________________________________________________
FAMILY LOVE MOMENT

Five-year-old Ethan came inside the house with a caterpillar.

"That's a really nice looking caterpillar you've got there, Ethan."

"Yeah," he replied, sighing.  "I love the little guy."
_________________________________________________________
POWER OF PRAYER

Even though I'm probably old enough to be your mother (maybe even
your grandmother) I enjoy your stories. Would you please add my
brother Burt's name to your prayer list. He is only 75 and has cancer
of the esophagus and spine. Thank you. - Freda from FL

Jenny Lewis-Hamblin is undergoing brain surgery on December 14th.  On
behalf of her Mommy, whom we all know and love as Heartwarmers Gem,
Jaye Lewis, I would like to invite all of you in keeping Jenny and
her entire family in our thoughts and prayers.

For those of you who know our beloved Heartwarmers Gem, Joe Edwards,
has been in the hospital, he's now doing much better.  For those of
you who don't, you are missing out on a gold mine of story-telling
talent.  Check out his stories at http://www.heartwarmers4u.com.  If
you'd like, drop him a note at 1521 E. Whiteside, Springfield, MO
65804.
_________________________________________________________
FROM OUR FRIENDLY E-MAIL CARRIER

In regards to "Modern Parents"
(http://geocities.com/jenniferioliver2001/112701.htm)

Jennifer, I was very touched by todays four_ears story.  It really
moved me, because I too was once a stay at home dad and I could
relate to all you said.  One great story writer once told me that all
good writing is "good story telling" and you told a good one. 
Thanks, David Sims

How funny that Uncle Jack thought that!  I bet Stephen got a kick out
of it.  Family life is a challenge, no matter who does what, when, or
how.  Just keeping it all together and keeping your children safe is
tough.  Times sure are a changin' when safety is more about the
unknown than electrical outlets. - Beth

Hi Jennifer,
    Just a quick response to this story. My mom has often mentioned
how different things are when my sister and brother and I were
growing up.
    It is true about the role change. It was nothing for my father to
sitting right next to what he wanted, like a spoon or something that
was forgotten to be put on the table for supper and have one of us
get up and get it for him.
    And it went on to taking care of the children. You never saw a
father change a diaper or push a stroller or buggy, etc, like you see
today.
    I take notice of the older generation even in the fast food
places. It is usually the women that get the order and takes it to
the table and the man is there waiting. LOL
    It is so much nicer today that it is 50-50 like it should be. I
feel it took two to make them so it should take two to raise them.
    I'll let you go now because I know you are busy. Kiss the gang
and give hugs from Pa.
Love and hugs to you and Stephen too.
^j^ ^j^ ^j^ ^j^
Alene

_________________________________________________________
LOVE,
JENNIFER I. OLIVER AND FAMILY
[email protected]
When you are born, you cry and everyone is happy. So live your life
in such a way that when you die, everyone cries and you are happy.
                                                                     
                                             - Unknown
_________________________________________________________

This E-mail may be forwarded in its entirety, but first ask the
writer for permission before forwarding. Thank you for doing the
decent thing!  Ü
________________________________________________________

SUBMIT STORY, QUOTE, OR FAMILY LOVE MOMENT:
http://www.geocities.com/jenniferioliver2001/submission.htm

FEEDBACK: [email protected]
_________________________________________________________