WHAT IS JOY?

In April I described a small book which was written and  self published by me  called JOY.

At the time I explained that I had published only 20 copies which I sent to friends, family and former colleagues.

The book was a compilation of stories I sent my grandchildren more than 20 years ago when they were very young.

There was considerable interest by readers who asked for copies.
I believe they too understand that we adults and society have much to learn from children.

I promised to send an outline of the book along with a listing of the stories I developed.

My grandchildren are now adults taking on their own  responsibilities as contributing members to our society and this world.

The book came about because of the interest and support given me by  Felice Barsky Silverman of Ardmore, Pennsylvania who read every story I wrote and encouraged me to publish them.

A friend here in St. Louis, Missouri helped me gather together old, yellowed copies and created the book's design and title.

The final product was and is a simple story of values and imagination.

                                        STORIES ONCE ENJOYED

TREES: EMMA AND HOBEN BECOME ENVIRONMENTALLY AWARE.

THE SLIDING BOARD; EMMA BECOMES ATHLETIC.

HOBEN'S GAME: HOBEN INVENTS HIS VANISHING GAME.

I'M PROUD OF ME! EMMA DISCOVERS HER OWN SELF ESTEEM.

WHAT DO GROWNUPS DO?  EMMA AND HOBEN AND COUSINS RACHEL AND JASON
DISCUSS GENERATIONAL DIFFERENCES.

BUGGY MORNING: HOBEN LEARNS ABOUT OVERCOMING FEAR ON A MORNING
WALK WITH HIS PARENTS ,

TAY-O THE KITTY:  EMMA TELLS HER CAT WHAT TO DO TO OVERCOME WHINING.

THE RED WAGON: EMMA TAKES A TRIP.

THE TURTLE: EMMA AND HOBEN LEARN ABOUT PRIVACY ON A WALK WITH THEIR PARENTS.

IT'S ME! EMMA INTRODUCES HERSELF TO THE WORLD.

RED HAT, BLUE HAT, NO HAT AT ALL EMMA AND HOBEN WANT TO  MAKE SOME
PERSONAL COSMETIC CHANGES.

                                                      * * * * * *

"JOY" THROUGH GRANDCHILDREN'S EYES*

Late in the dreary month of March, I came across a very old file.  It held 12 stories I had written to my two small grandchildren when they and  I lived far from each other.  

The stories reminded me how much children, grandchildren and family can teach everyone even when we live in tumultuous times with noise levels blurring thinking and common sense.

Yet, we need to move forward finding ways  toward improvement and leaving self recrimination behind us.

But how to do this when often as a writer I have sounded more political than poetic, or when a good rant often stirs the hearts of my readers?

So was born the idea for my self-published book called "Joy."

With the help of a close friend, I took the stories I had written more than twenty years ago gathered them together and self published "Joy." The small book deals with things my grandchildren, Emma and Hoben experienced and did when they were very young children.

The stories have now provided me and them with the opportunity to share memories and laughter as we look to the future and our growth as people.

Perhaps, the next time when we speak of what we want for our children and grandchildren we need to first understand what the world means to them in terms of language and values they can understand.

                         ________________________________________


*Even though only twenty copies of "Joy" was published, I am in the process of writing a summary for readers who heard about it and requested  a copy.