Chicken Soup to Inspire a Woman's Soul

by Canfield, Jack; Hansen, Mark Victor; Marston, Stephanie

• ISBN13: 9780757302107
• ISBN10: 0757302106
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-08-01
• Publisher: Hci

Summary

This inspiring collection is for the 50 million American women who are finding renewed joy, passion and meaning in their lives. Demi Moore's doing it. Oprah's doing it. Joan Lunden's doing it. These are just a few of the 50 million American women who are celebrating the prime of their lives by redefining themselves. This feel-good book celebrates the growing sisterhood of women who are embracing life, realizing that the best years are ahead of them. Chapters include: On Adventure, Treasuring Friendship, On Romance, Overcoming Obstacles, On Wisdom, On Parenting, On Spirituality, and Across Generations.

Author Biography

Who is Jack Canfield? Jack Canfield is one of America's leading experts in the development of human potential and personal effectiveness. He is both a dynamic, entertaining speaker and a highly sought-after trainer. Jack has a wonderful ability to inform and inspire audiences toward increased levels of self-esteem and peak performance. He is the author and narrator of several bestselling audio- and videocassette programs, including Self-Esteem and Peak Performance, How to Build High Self-Esteem, Self-Esteem in the Classroom and Chicken Soup for the Soul-Live. He is regularly seen on television shows such as Good Morning America, 20/20 and NBC Nightly News. Jack has coauthored numerous books, including the Chicken Soup for the Soul series, Dare to Win and The Aladdin Factor (all with Mark Victor Hansen), 100 Ways to Build Self-Concept in the Classroom (with Harold C. Wells), Heart at Work (with Jacqueline Miller), The Power of Focus (with Les Hewitt and Mark Victor Hansen) and Chicken Soup for the Soul Life Lessons. Jack is a regularly featured speaker for professional associations, school districts, government agencies, churches, hospitals, sales organizations and corporations. His clients have included the American Dental Association, the American Management Association, AT and T, Campbell's Soup, Clairol, Domino's Pizza, GE, ITT, Hartford Insurance, Johnson and Johnson, the Million Dollar Roundtable, NCR, New England Telephone, Re/Max, Scott Paper, TRW and Virgin Records. Jack has taught on the faculty of Income Builders International, a school for entrepreneurs. Jack conducts an annual seven-day Training of Trainers program in the areas of self-esteem and peak performance. It attracts entrepreneurs, educators, counselors, parenting trainers, corporate trainers, professional speakers, ministers and others interested in developing their speaking and seminar-leading skills. Look for Jack's latest book, The Success Principles, in January 2005. Self-Esteem Seminars P.O. Box 30880 Santa Barbara, CA 93130 phone: [phone] * fax: [phone] Web site: www.jackcanfield.com. Who is Mark Victor Hansen? In the area of human potential, no one is more respected than Mark Victor Hansen. For more than thirty years, Mark has focused solely on helping people from all walks of life reshape their personal vision of what's possible. His powerful messages of possibility, opportunity and action have created powerful change in thousands of organizations and millions of individuals worldwide. He is a sought-after keynote speaker, bestselling author and marketing maven. Mark's credentials include a lifetime of entrepreneurial success and an extensive academic background. He is a prolific writer with many bestselling books such as The One Minute Millionaire, The Power of Focus, The Aladdin Factor and Dare to Win, in addition to the Chicken Soup for the Soul series. Mark has made a profound influence through his library of audios, videos and articles in the areas of big thinking, sales achievement, wealth building, publishing success, and personal and professional development. Mark is the founder of the MEGA Seminar Series. MEGA Book Marketing University and Building Your MEGA Speaking Empire are annual conferences where Mark coaches and teaches new and aspiring authors, speakers and experts on building lucrative publishing and speaking careers. Other MEGA events include MEGA Marketing Magic and My MEGA Life. He has appeared on television (Oprah, CNN and The Today Show), in print (Time, U.S. News and World Report, USA Today, New York Times and Entrepreneur) and on countless radio interviews, assuring our planet's people that "You can easily create the life you deserve." As a philanthropist and humanitarian, Mark works tirelessly for organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, American Red Cross, March of Dimes, Childhelp USA and many others. He is the recipient of numerous awards that honor his entrepreneurial spirit, philanthropic heart and business acumen. He is a lifetime member of the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, an organization that honored Mark with the prestigious Horatio Alger Award for his extraordinary life achievements. Mark Victor Hansen is an enthusiastic crusader of what's possible and is driven to make the world a better place. Mark Victor Hansen and Associates, Inc. P.O. Box 7665 Newport Beach, CA 92658 phone: [phone] fax: [phone] Visit Mark online at: www.markvictorhansen.com. Who is Stephanie Marston? Stephanie Marston is an internationally published author, acclaimed speaker and life-quality expert. She is the author of Chicken Soup for the Soul Life Lessons, If Not Now, When?, The Magic of Encouragement and The Divorced Parent. Stephanie is also the creator of Chicken Soup's Life Coaching for Parents: Six Weeks to Sanity. Stephanie is a licensed Marriage, Family Therapist with more than twenty-five years' experience in women's issues and parenting. Ms. Marston has appeared on numerous radio and television programs such as The Oprah Winfrey Show, The Early Show, and Women-to-Women. Stephanie is one of the most sought-after experts in the country offering her sage wisdom on a host of life-quality and family issues, especially how to balance life's competing priorities and create a high-quality life. She has conducted seminars for more than 50,000 women, parents, and mental health professionals internationally. Stephanie delivers keynote addresses, seminars and workshops to women's organizations, corporations, parent groups, professional conferences, associations and the general public. Some of her clients have included Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, Chanel, The Young Presidents Organization, Union Bank, Northrop Corporation, ARCO Corporation, Paramount Studios, Cedar-Sinai Medical Center, Jackson Lewis Attorneys at Law, Parkville Hospital, WCI Communities and The Junior Leagues of America. Whether you're a career woman struggling to balance the demands of work and family, a midlife woman trying to navigate this challenging transition, a frustrated parent who wants to create greater harmony in your home, or a woman who is simply tired of living an overloaded existence, Stephanie Marston has the answers. For further information about Stephanie's books, tapes and programs, or to schedule her for a presentation, please contact: Life Quality Seminars Box 31453 Santa Fe, NM 87594-1453 Phone: [phone] * fax: [phone] Web site: www.stephaniemarston.com.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	xi
Introduction	xv
Share with Us	xvii
Dare To
Meiji Stewart	xviii
1. IT'S MY TURN NOW
Wild Waters Run Deep
Benita Tobin	2	(4)
Babes on Blades
Suzan Davis	6	(4)
Paper Suits Me Mary
Clare Lockman	10	(5)
Change Is Synonymous with Hope
Linda Ellerbee	15	(2)
Gallery of Love
Diane M. Vanover	17	(3)
Adventure on Mount Hood
Joyce Briggs	20	(5)
Realize Your Dreams
Margie Pasero	25	(4)
Full Bloom
Peggy Haslar	29	(3)
The Odyssey
Leslie J. Clark	32	(4)
Side-Tracked at Silver Plume
Carol McAdoo Rehme	36	(4)
No More Babies
Joyce Maynard	40	(4)
The Piranha
Hope Faith	44	(5)
Trophy Girl
Carolyn Mason	49	(3)
The Ugly Orchid
Shelah Brewer Ogletree	52	(4)
2. ON FRIENDSHIP
No Old Friends
Anne Merle	56	(3)
The Warm Waters of Friendship
Marian Wilson	59	(4)
The Friend Who Listened
Joan Downey	63	(4)
Eulogizing a Friend
Sally Friedman	67	(3)
The Blessing of Old Age
Sharon M. Stanford	70	(2)
Rules for Paging, Rules for Aging
Jane Mozena, Ginny Foster and Peggy Bird	72	(5)
Friendship That Endured the Years
Lois Schmidt	77	(3)
Hangin' with the Fast Girls
Barbara Bent	80	(6)
3. LETTING GO
Building a Home for an Autumn Butterfly
Barbara McCloskey	86	(4)
Key Words to Survival
Peg Sherry	90	(5)
Forty Years in the Wilderness
Charlotte A. Lanham	95	(3)
To Everything There Is a Season
Sally Friedman	98	(4)
Youthful Promises
Denise Fleming	102	(5)
Where the Heart Is
Marie D. Jones	107	(5)
Without You
Alice Ann Knisely	112	(3)
A Change of Seasons
Diane White	115	(3)
Taking It in Stride
Cappy Tosetti	118	(4)
4. TAKING TIME FOR LOVE
Love: A Novel Approach
Deborah Shouse	122	(5)
Freedom
Bonnie West	127	(4)
Life's Short
Patricia A. Hoyt	131	(2)
His Hands
Laurel A. Pilon-Weick	133	(4)
How I Stopped Looking for Mr. Right
Rosalie Wright	137	(6)
The Change
Paul Weller	143	(2)
Bonfire of the Tampons
Trisha Posner	145	(4)
Scenes from a Marriage
Sally Friedman	149	(4)
Orchids and Corned-Beef Hash
George M. Flynn	153	(4)
The Moment
Beverly Matulis	157	(7)
5. ON PARENTING
More Precious Than Gold
Amy Ridgeway	164	(3)
What Mothers Teach
Ferna Lary Mills	167	(4)
Messy Rooms: A Neat Memory
Karen McCowan	171	(4)
Sunshine
Lauri Khodabandehloo	175	(4)
A Scarf, Earrings, Necklace, Bottle of Perfume
Andy Strasberg	179	(3)
Middle-Aged Mommy
Karen Brown	182	(4)
Who Called the Sheriff?
Nancy B. Gibbs	186	(4)
A Walk to Manhood
Jeri Chrysong	190	(3)
Seven Days to Live
Mary Anne Fox	193	(3)
Let's Celebrate!
Lynell Gray	196	(4)
6. ACROSS THE GENERATIONS
Mama's New Dress
Billie Sue Moser	200	(3)
What Do You Have to Say for Yourself?
Kate Rowinski	203	(4)
Mother and Child
Judy Keim	207	(4)
Fifty, But Who's Counting?
Carolyn Hall	211	(2)
Alone Together: A Grandmother's Tale
Sally Friedman	213	(4)
An Unexpected Gift of Peace
Linda Lipinski	217	(4)
My Mother's Eyebrows
Jennifer Oliver	221	(3)
Hands of Time Carol
Ann Erhardt	224	(3)
I Am My Mother and Proud of It
Teresa Tyma Helie	227	(2)
Mrs. Frieda Moves
Rachel Wallace-Oberle	229	(4)
A Mother Sings
Peggy Vincent	233	(4)
The Gift of Memory
Sally Friedman	237	(4)
The Gray Slipper
Pearl Nelson as told to Lynne M. Thompson	241	(3)
The Folks Next Door
Karen McQuestion	244	(3)
Missing
Georgia A. Hubley	247	(4)
Marathon Women
Susan Fishman Orlins	251	(4)
A Gift Through the Generations
Harriet Cooper	255	(5)
7. INSIGHTS
Sunken Treasure
Kelly Gamble	260	(4)
In One Split Second
Cecelia Albanese	264	(4)
Everyday Sacred
Joanne Morrison	268	(3)
A Perfect Moment
Phyllis L. Nutkis	271	(5)
The Reason
Donald S. Verkow	276	(4)
The Gift of the Middle
Sandra B. Smith	280	(2)
Crayons, Notebooks and Pencil Bags
SuzAnne C. Cole	282	(3)
The Circle of Life
Kelly Salasin	285	(4)
I Worked Hard for That Furrowed Brow
Ellen Goodman	289	(3)
Body Work
Carol Ayer	292	(3)
The Leap
Marjorie Woodall	295	(5)
I Never Saw My Mother Do a Sit-Up
EllynAnne Geisel	300	(3)
Life Lessons Well Learned
Christina M. Abt	303	(4)
Small Present, Huge Gift
Jenna Cassell	307	(3)
The Miracle
Renette Meltebeke	310	(4)
Midlife Lessons Worth Learning
Sheri Harney	314	(2)
Golf, Like Midlife, Is Absolutely Unfair
Ellen Goodman	316	(3)
Aging Gracefully
Cyndy Salamati	319	(3)
Be Careful What You Ask For
Kristi Boylan	322	(4)
A Lesson in Surrender
Stephanie Marston	326	(2)
It's Never Too Late To...
Meiji Stewart	328	(3)
More Chicken Soup?	331	(1)
Peace Through the Magic of Story	332	(1)
Who Is Jack Canfield?	333	(1)
Who Is Mark Victor Hansen?	334	(1)
Who Is Stephanie Marston?	335	(1)
Contributors	336	(11)
Permissions (continued)	347

Excerpts

1It's My Turn Now F-ollow Your Dreams, for as you dream, so you shall become.James Allen Wild Waters Run DeepIf we wait for our hands to stop shaking, we will never open the door.Naomi Newman No doubt about it, a fortieth birthday requires a spectacular celebration. So I did what I thought a self-respecting, bold woman who has learned that she is responsible for her happiness might do I decided to make my own party and take it with me! That my celebration took place in a foreign country, where I was alone, surrounded by a group of strangers and involved a near-death experience that coincided with my birthday was grist for the mill.I decided to go white-water rafting because it was something new and wild and adventurous that would push the fear envelope. As Eleanor Roosevelt said, 'You must do the thing you think you cannot do.' White-water rafting through class IV and class V rapids down the Rio Pacuare in the Costa Rican rain forest seemed like just the ticket! So, I packed my Spanish tape, water bottle, bathing suit, sandals and sunscreen, and set off for my 'Fortieth Birthday White-Water Rafting Adventure of a Lifetime.' Little did I know, wild waters run deep.I should have taken it as a premonition when our bus made a pit stop along the road to the river where a vendor was selling 'I survived Rio Pacuare' T-shirts. I bought one and put it on; people on the bus with me all laughed! Maybe I should have thought better of getting in a raft with a group of total strangers, most who had never rafted before, and going down a river with such potential danger. And, it probably is not the best thing to be with guides who speak limited English and give only cursory lessons in rafting, which mostly included telling us to hold on, a lot. And, maybe there is something to the proliferative liability laws that we have in the United States, at least as far as the safety protection they may offer toward the assumption of risk. Well, you probably guessed it. Not too long into the experience, I was knocked out of the raft, went over a small waterfall into a whirlpool (they call it a 'hydraulic'; I call it 'hell') and got sucked to the bottom of the river in a swirling confusion of water. And that was just the beginning of the ride. Fortunately, I did have on a helmet and life jacket. I can't imagine what I would have done without them. Nevertheless, I did get quite an exfoliation from the numerous rocks I hit, not to mention all the water I swallowed. While I was busy getting more than I bargained for, I had an epiphany about life. While being tossed about by those wonderful, wild waters and flopping in and out of submersion like a rag doll, my mind took me to another place. Somehow, I got my feet pointed downstream like you're supposed to. And, I did my best to keep my head above water as much as possible, which, actually, was nearly impossible. It was horrible trying to breathe and not being able to get enough air. But, I became incredib

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Excerpted from Chicken Soup to Inspire a Woman's Soul: Stories Celebrating the Wisdom, Fun and Freedom of Midlife by Jack L. Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Stephanie Marston
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.