from another list I am on - looking for Chicken Soup stories

[Guest guest]

Chicken Soup for the Special Needs Community

Do you have heart-warming, insightful and powerfully moving stories about

what life has taught you and how to live life to its fullest? The authors of

the New York Times Best-selling book series Chicken Soup for the Soul are

currently seeking stories to be included in a new book tentatively titled

Chicken Soup for the Special Needs Community: 101 heartwarming, helpful,

healing stories that offer inspiration and promise surrounding the lives of

special needs individuals. Through these stories, the readers learn how

others facing similar challenges can learn to overcome the many obstacles

they have. They do this by connecting with emotions in the real life

experience by learning they can choose peace and happiness in each situation

regardless of how challenging it appears from the outside.

Now you have an opportunity to contribute to this new series by sharing your

strength, insights, knowledge and wisdom.

What makes a good Chicken Soup story?

A Chicken Soup story is an inspirational, true story that opens the heart

and re-kindles the spirit. It is the personal account of an event, an

obstacle overcome, a lesson learned or a dream fulfilled that helps the

reader discover basic principles they can use in their own lives.

Some of the topics we will include are:

1) On Attitude: This chapter contains stories about the powerful healing

that takes place through the deep and meaningful transition from denial to

final positive attitudinal acceptance while learning a loved one has special

needs whether they are a newborn child or a lifetime occurrence.

2) Family Dynamics: This chapter contains stories that demonstrate the

healing power a family has towards a special needs loved one through love,

patience, understanding and relentless hope that parents, siblings and

extended family share.

3) Early Learning: This chapter contains heartwarming and compassionate

stories of the early intervention school years while many children are

engrossed in intense therapies. They are shared through the perspective of

the many teachers, whether they are in the schools or even the parents that

teach them through home schooling.

4) The Teen Years: This chapter contains stories around the challenges teens

face going through puberty and teen years such as body changes, boyfriends

and girlfriends, learning to drive, life decisions and going through the

many emotional challenges that they face.

5) On Friendships and Relationships This chapter contains stories of heroic

acts and very meaningful, caring relationships peers develop and the lessons

that they learn from one another. There are stories of bullying,

protection, support and empowerment, where the centers of our hearts are

opened up.

6) Celebrating Differences: This chapter celebrates the gifts and phenomenal

wonder many people with special needs bring the world such as incredible

music, brilliant minds, artwork and many other talents they offer to the

world. It’s about finding the good in every person regardless of the

challenges they may face.

7) Humor is Healing: This chapter promotes the popular saying “Laughter is

the best medicine.” It contains stories that show the healing power of

humor, from simply silly to gut wrenching hilarious allowing us to see the

lighter side of each situation regardless of the severity.

8) Adulthood: This chapter contains stories of special needs individuals

after the age of 21 when oftentimes the regular means of support are no

longer in place. It explores issues like employment, group home placements,

volunteerism and family living arrangements.

9) Transitions: This chapter contains stories about the strength, courage

and understanding a special needs person faces and must learn how to embrace

when losing a loved one. It also goes through situations surrounding aging

and what happens next in their lives.

10) Empowering Everyone: This chapter contains stories about the circle of

support surrounding a special needs person during their lifetime. These

loving, caring, supporting people are what life is all about. The old adage

“It takes a village to raise a child” encapsulates this chapter perfectly!

We are looking for “teaching tales” that inspire the reader to draw their

own conclusions and insights from the story itself.

If you have a story you would like to submit, please email your stories to

hmcnamara@....

We look forward to receiving your story and thank you for reading Chicken

Soup for the Soul®.

Sincerely,

Chicken Soup for the Soul