Jack Canfield - Chicken Soup for the Mother and Son Soul: Stories to Celebrate the Lifelong Bond

CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE MOTHER AND SON SOUL

CHICKEN SOUP
FOR THE
MOTHER AND
SON SOUL

Stories to Celebrate the
Lifelong Bond

Jack Canfield
Mark Victor Hansen
LeAnn Thieman
Barbara LoMonaco

Backlist, LLC, a unit of

Chicken Soup for the Soul Publishing, LLC

Cos Cob, CT

www.chickensoup.com

off the mark by Mark Parisi

OFF THE MARK, Mark Parisi, 1995. Reprinted by permission of Mark Parisi.

Contents

LeAnn Thieman

Lois Wencil

Duane Shaw

Cynthia Briggs

Polly W. Swafford

Cheryl A. Paden

Linda Watskin

Louise Tucker Jones

Risa Nye

Marnie O. Mamminga

Suzanne Vaughan

Jeri Chrysong

Barbara Adams

Karen Brown

Susan Pasztor

Rosalie Griffin

Pamela Jenkins

Barbara LoMonaco

G. E. Dabbs

Anita Biase

Judy L. Leger

Barbara LoMonaco

Linda Apple

Scott Halford

Carol McAdoo Rehme

Shirley Kawa-Jump

Laurie Hartman

Kerrie Flanagan

Sylvia Gist

Linda Saslow

Robin Geller Diamond

Joseph Walker

Harriet May Savitz

Arthur Wiknik, Jr.

Debi Callies

Berniece Duello

Theresa Goggin-Roberts

Gloria Givens

Jean Blackmer

Carolyn Hall

Gloria Plaisted

Linda L. Osmundson

Sue-Ellen Sanders

Carol McAdoo Rehme

Maryjo Faith Morgan

Perry P. Perkins

Daniel James

Angela Thieman Dino

Kathleen Partak

Deisy M. Flood

Jennifer I. Oliver

James W. Lewis

Margaret P. Cunningham

Deborah Shouse

Karin Bjerke-Lisle

Joyce Adams as told to Kerrie Flanagan

Rita Billbe

Virginia Fortner

Kimberly Ripley

Kevin Kilpatrick

Jim OBrien

Beadrin Youngdahl

Jeri Chrysong

Starshine Roshell

Marnie O. Mamminga

Cheryl Kirking

Linda Marie Ford

Nancy J. Knight

Kerrie Flanagan

Ginny Dubose

Gary Luerding

Cheryl Kremer

Cindy Hval

B. J. Taylor

Cindy Hval

Jeanne Pallos

Starshine Roshell

David Skidmore

Pamela Hackett Hobson

Barbara LoMonaco

Nancy Gibbs

Marnie O. Mamminga

April Garcia

Carol McAdoo Rehme

Marnie O. Mamminga

Andy Skidmore

Leslie T. Britt

Gloria Cassity Stargel

Joe Rector

Betty King

Jean Harper

Marnie O. Mamminga

Lynn Dean

Marnie O. Mamminga

Darlene Lawson

Nancy Blackmon

Brenda Jordan

Sue Diaz

Dianna Foxcroft

From the moment she hears, Its a boy! a special love blossoms in the heart of a mother, and a bond, unlike any other, begins. When he refuses to let her out of his sight, and later refuses to be seen with her in public, her love only grows. In him she sees that she is not only raising this generation, but future ones as well.

Yet, after reading literally thousands of stories submitted for this book, we still had difficulty articulating this unique unconditional love... until we discovered these words from the great American writer Washington Irving: A father may turn his back on his child; brothers andsisters may become inveterate enemies; husbands may deserttheir wives, and wives their husbands. But a mothers loveendures through all; in good repute, in bad repute, in the face ofthe worlds condemnation, a mother still loves on and still hopesthat her child may turn from his evil ways and repent; still sheremembers the infant smiles that once filled her bosom with rapture,the merry laugh, the joyful shout of his childhood, theopening promise of his youth; and she can never be brought tothink him unworthy.

Indeed, a mothers love is limitless, abundant in joy, support and forgiveness. Though she may loose him from her apron strings, he is forever entwined in her heart. Savor Chicken Soup for the Mother and Son Soul. Celebrate the blessings and bruises, tears and triumphs, happiness and hopes of this unparalleled loving relationship.

1
SPECIAL
MOMENTS

G od gave us memories that we might haveroses in December.

James M. Barrie

N o language can express the power and beautyand heroism and majesty of a mothers love.

Edwin Hubbell Chapin

The war was far from Saigon when I agreed to escort six babies from Vietnam to their adoptive homes in the U.S. Still, the decision to leave my husband and two little girls had not been easy. When the war escalated, I had begged God for a sign that I could back out ofmy commitment, but he only filled me with a courage and confidence I could explain to no one. Somehow I knew this was all a part of his plan. By the time I landed in Saigon, bombs were falling outside the city limits, Vietnam was falling to the communists, and President Ford had okayed Operation Babylift. Scores of the estimated 50,000 Amerasian babies and toddlers were herded into our headquarters of Friends of Children of Vietnam in preparation for the airlift.