To our angels, our story contributors,
who made Miracles of Kindness possible.
Each of the names in this picture is one of the contributors to our first volume of Miracles, on Christmas "angel" ornaments made by Ann herself.
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Excerpts from
Miracles of Kindness
From Chapter Two - The Unseen Safety Net
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“You have one heck of a last name,” he said while extending the envelope that contained the cash. He had found it in a bank envelope in the parking lot, which also included a receipt that spelled out her unique surname. It had taken a little detective work, but he had tracked her down and found her phone number.
“I can’t believe you went to all that work to find me. I am so stupid.” She took the envelope from him and looked deep into his eyes. “Honest people are so hard to find. I don’t know what to say. My God, I don’t even know your name.” “Walter,” he replied. The name seemed to fit perfectly. “Hi Walter, I’m Mary Anna.” They politely shook hands as she took a moment to sneak a peek at the contents of the envelope, the found $51 in cash, then beamed back up to her new friend. “I thought the money was gone for good. My mother insisted on it.” As she gazed inside the envelope, she suddenly felt compelled to take a ten dollar bill and give to Walter, a suitable tip for the return of a prize this valued. Walter reached down and stopped her search with a gentle hand. “That’s not needed.” |
From Chapter Six - The Road to Sobriety
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As Chris stared at the clock that day, the meeting secretary thanked the speaker, then asked those assembled in the room to gather for the Lord’s Prayer. Carl managed to arrange himself in the circle so he was holding Chris’ hand. The Lord’s Prayer was recited, the circle of hands then began to sway rhythmically as they chanted together, “Keep coming back, it works!” It was then that Carl turned to Chris, still holding his hand.
“You hungry, my friend?” asked Carl, as if he was offering to fetch a cup of coffee. Chris didn’t know what to say. Unlike Carl, he had not been an observer of anyone during meetings and he certainly had no idea who Carl was. He dropped Carl’s hand as if it was forbidden fruit and looked away, as he usually did when conversations became too pointed and intimate. Still, something inside him made him respond. “Yeah, sort of.” “You like Mexican? My treat.” An hour later, Chris and his new AA friend were in deep discussion, about Chris’ drinking, about his bipolar disorder, about his frantic life as a “recovering” alcoholic. |
From Chapter Ten - On Foreign Turf
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The men followed them, not chasing really but never trailing away. The two blondes, easily spotted in the darkness, desperately sought to find a taxi outside the station, leading to another moment of panic; there were no taxis outside the station, virtually no lights at all. They looked up and down the streets and around the station and saw nothing that gave them any measure of hope. They looked at each other silently, holding back sobs. Neither had a clue what do.
“Do you need some help”? A voice suddenly reached out to them, an unfamiliar voice certainly, but a comforting voice nonetheless, in Italian-accented English, clear and easily understandable. They turned to find a handsome man, in his late thirties or early forties, distinguished in a suit and shirt, no tie, strolling toward them, a reassuring smile on his face. He was instantly friendly and comforting, protective and commanding, the very opposite of the collection of characters who had gathered around them. Suddenly, their new Italian friend rattled off a quick request over the phone. He waited for a response, then barked out “Va Bene. Gracie”. He turned to Megan and Kelly. “A taxi will be here in 20 minutes. I will wait with you”, he said loudly, in English, as much to scare off the remaining teppiste from the train as to comfort the girls. |
We hope this volume of Miracles of Kindness is the first of many, the birth of a series of eBooks that will explore the human stories that inevitably unfold when one person reaches out to help another.
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