Chicken Soup for the Teen's Soul

by Canfield, Jack; Hansen, Mark Victor; Meyer, Stephanie H.; Meyer, John

• ISBN13: 9780757306822
• ISBN10: 0757306829
• Edition: Reprint
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2007-10-15
• Publisher: Hci

Summary

This collection of stories written by teens for teens is full of insight and encouragement. With startling honesty and originality, teens tell it like it is about who they are, what they stand for, and what they believe truly matters in their lives.Whether about the agony of a breakup, a betrayal of a friend, or the loss of a loved one, the stories in this collection give teens support as they struggle through life's challenges and transitions. Topics include: *Dating * Mentors * Loss and Grief * Peer Pressure * Social Expectations * Finding Balance * Love and Relationships * Family issuesThrough the pages of "Chicken Soup for the Teen's Soul", young men and women alike will discover that they are not alone in their quest to figure it all out and do the best they can through the process.

Excerpts

1Life Stories Love the moment. Flowers grow out of dark moments. Therefore, each moment is vital. It affects the whole. Life is a succession of such moments, and to live each is to succeed. Corita Kent Losing Tyler Love does not consist in gazing at each other, but in looking together in the same direction. Antoine de Saint-Exupéry To the observer, we appear to be two average high-school students. He pores over a college guide, and I write my college application essay. Chewing on the end of my no. 2 pencil, I'm trying to think of words to live by. That's my topic. My mind wanders, and so does my gaze, away from the blank page. I watch Tyler. His forehead creases slightly, and I know in a few seconds he'll snap his head slightly to the side to get his hair out of his face. Counting down three, two, one . . . His head tosses back slightly to the left. It's mere habit now, since he cut his hair short months ago. I also predict in a few seconds he'll swear in Gaelic. He does, and I laugh. It's one of those situations where you know the other person better than you know yourself. And, lately, I have found myself observing him more and more.The expression on his face probably mirrors my own, our eyes filled with stress, frustration, and bewilderment. Where did the time go? Days seem to drag, but years pass quickly. I rest my head in my hands and watch him. Words to live by still haven't come to me. I have known this person for twelve years. He's been my best friend since preschool; when I have a problem, I go right to him. As I watch him, he coughs, and I worry. I almost ask him if he wants to go outside for some fresh air, but it was his idea to go to the library, so I say nothing. At first glance, he looks fine, perhaps a little tired. But I see the circles under his eyes and the holes he has punched in his belt because of the weight he's lost. That's the third new hole this month. Without looking up, he says, 'Stop staring at me.' Without moving, I reply, 'I'm not.'Once, when I was nine, I looked up cystic fibrosis in the dictionary: a common hereditary disease that appears in early childhood, involving generalized disorder of the exocrine glands, and a deficiency of pancreatic enzymes. As a nine-year-old, I was very confused. 'That's not what Tyler has,' I told my mother. 'He coughs a lot and doesn't like to eat. The doctors must be wrong.' She just hugged me. For almost as long as I can remember, Tyler has been sick. And it has always amazed me how positive he is. In turn, he's made me positive. I used to be convinced that a lung donor would show up, so sure the geneticists would find a miracle cure. But lately, as I watch him grow thinner and thinner, my positive feelings have turned into a facade, and I worry all the time.I know he grows frustrated, too. Frustrated that he won't have the chance to do everything he wants to. Frustrated thinking he shouldn't go to college and waste his parents' money on an educat

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Excerpted from Chicken Soup for the Teen Soul: Real-Life Stories by Real Teens by Jack Canfield, Stephanie H. Meyer, John Meyer, Mark Victor Hansen
All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.