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*Night Terrors* 11/9/01 _____________________ If you enjoy this free daily email service, I encourage you to spread the word to family and friends that we may bring inspiration into the lives of many! If you are not on the list and this has been passed along to you, join the thousands of Heart Touchers readers around the world by sending an e-mail with the word "Subscribe" in the subject line to: HeartTouchers@aol.com Visit our inspirational web site and read all the past stories in our archives at: http://www.HeartTouchers.com ____________________________________________ Michael's long awaited book Straight From the Heart: "A Celebration of Life," is finally here! Close to 200 pages of true short stories filled with love and laughter await you! Visit our web site to order the EBook, or to order by credit card! You can also read some sample stories from the book here! http://HeartTouchers.com/michael_t__powers/ AOL Users Click below: Straight From the Heart: A Celebration of Life _________________________________________ Heart Touchers regular contributor, Irene Budzynski ends our week of stories with a powerful reminder: "NEVER FORGET". Thank you for sharing your gift of writing with us Irene and may all of you have a wonderful weekend! From my family to yours, Michael _________________________________________ NIGHT TERRORS By Irene Budzynski Andy was a likeable guy. And polite! After telling him it was okay to call me by my first name, he insisted on the "Yes, ma'am," reply, so I just let him have his way. Standing in the shadow of his long frame, I needed to bend my neck back to see his leathered face where the years had carved their mark. The roads of abuse taken since 1969 were not kind to his body. He was too thin, and the mother in me wanted to take him home for a good meal, but he probably would not have sat still long enough to have eaten. He tried to hide his fear behind the niceties, thanking me for every cup of water I brought to his bedside. Nervous, in and out of bed, up and down the halls, he was different from my typical patients, and I felt guilty because I didn't think I was doing anything of great importance for him. The night shift flew by and I sat down to chart. It had been hot this mid September day, but a cold front was coming in and I shivered with the temperature drop. Every day at 4 a.m. my body reminded me that it was abnormal to be awake with lights blazing and it revolted. Thoughts of sleep replaced my power of concentration and I indulged myself in the quiet before the hum of the hospital escalated to nerve jangling intensity. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a jackrabbit movement in the door to the nurse's station. Instantly alert, I swung around and jumped up to face Andy. Eyes wide and wild, hair every which way, he was tremulous with panic. His words were strung together, but out of the babble he kept repeating one word. I commanded him to breathe deeply, using the microsecond of silence to figure out where his mind had taken him. Just as abruptly as he'd stopped chanting, he started again. He rushed to the window of his room and waved his arm at the parking lot below. He was buckling under the weight of his fear. "Look! The swordsmen are here!" What on earth was he talking about? The fog had rolled in wispy drifts of gray fingers which had wrapped themselves around the lush maple trees. It was an eerie scene straight out of a Sherlock Holmes movie. The leaves bowed under the weight of the mist, hissing in protest as the breeze blew them about. "There's one?" Andy choked out the words while his long hands squeezed the windowsill so hard I thought it would crack. Looking sideways at him, I no longer saw a man my age. Standing in his place was a scared young soldier whose bogeymen never left him alone, ready to pop up and remind him that his past was his present. The September 11 attack had come but had not ended, triggering a response deep in his psyche which took him back to Southeast Asia. Andy's "swordsmen" were Viet Cong hiding behind bushes and trees, advancing to attack him even now, and there was nowhere to run. He wasn't in a hospital. This was the jungle. Closing the blinds, I talked to him as if he was one of my own sons, lulling him with words and more words. The night light was switched on and I settled him back to bed with a glass of warm milk. "I'm right here, Andy, right outside your door. The swordsmen are gone forever." He lay back on the pillow, eyes closed, fists clenched until slowly they uncurled to pull the extra blankets up under his chin. The terrors were gone?for tonight. I started to leave his room, praying for all the Andys who came back to fight their own private wars. Following me was a hoarse whisper from the bed, "I was 19." Irene Budzynski irene_budd@yahoo.com Write Irene and let her know what you thought of her story! Copyright 2001 ___________________________ A nurse in New England and a regular contributor to Heart Touchers, Irene will never forget the Vietnam vets and the MIA's and the price they paid for our freedom. _________________________________________ Reader Feedback! Wow! You really outdid yourself this time friend. What a story! What a man! What a miracle it was that you caught him there. Cannot help but wonder if it was to share with us all. What a writer! Stephanie, who is a history lover! Savvysdad@aol.com Dear Michael, how touching to read this story. Wish I could have been there to experience this with you. One thing is for sure, these boys will never ever forget it. That is something that the whole world should see, and MAYBE one day when a young man becomes a president of a nation, he would think twice before thinking about taking the "boys" to war. Thank you for always touching my life with the stories from Heart Touchers. Your friend from South Africa, Karin du Toit KduToit@sbic.co.za As awesome this year as last. This is something to be kept and passed on for future generations. Thanks Michael for a job well done. Mark Crider mark@cccoating.com Dear Michael, I just finished reading your message for the day. It truly brought tears to my eyes. I have a copy of the book that is mentioned, and the story is truly heart touching to read. My family has a history of military service to this country. My father's father was in World War II, my father was in the Air Force for 25 years, serving in Korea and Vietnam. My oldest brother Jim was in the Air Force for 25 years, a den my next older brother, Peter was in the Army for 23 years. My husband is in the service also. First in the Coast Guard for three years, and now in the Navy for two years, going on three. He was aboard the USS COLE last year she was bombed. My husbands family has also a history in the service. His Grandfather was in the Army during W.W.II and his father was in eh Marines during Vietnam. Needless to say, I am one who has never taken the freedoms we have in this country for granted. I cry when I hear the national anthem and I cheer when there is a report on the military, or a US military plane flying over my home. I have a great love of those who serve and those who served this country, both those living and those dead. As the day for remembering them comes, may we never ever forget all the sacrifices that have been made, both then... and also now!!!! May God Always Bless America!!!! Sincerely, Mary Greeley, wife of a USS COLE survivor marygreeley@home.net Michael Quite a story about boys in the service. I cannot even begin to spell Iwo Jima right but I am speechless and in awe of that story. Thanks Fran omamalone@hotmail.com SIR, MY DAD WAS A PARATROOPER WITH 82ND AIRBORNE...HE WAS MY HERO BUT LIKE SO MANY OTHERS HE NEVER TALKED ABOUT HIS BAD EXPERIENCES IN W.W.II ONLY THE RARE GOOD TIMES...LIKE SO MANY OTHERS HE WAS WOUNDED IN FRANCE SHORTLY AFTER D-DAY...HE RECOVERED AND LIVED A GOOD LIFE AS HE TOLD ME SHORTLY BEFORE HIS DEATH...MOST OF THOSE VETERANS FROM THAT WAR ARE GONE NOW AND WHAT WE OWE THEM AND THAT GENERATION CAN NEVER BE REPAID...BUT THEY DON'T WANT ANYTHING ANYWAY...THANKS AGAIN DAD. Tom P. Michael, I loved this story. My husband, Bill, was also on Iwo Jima, at only 17 years of age. I know he will love it, too. I wrote to Mr. Bradley and thanked him, telling him a little bit about Bill on Iwo, too. Thanks so much for sharing this true happening. You must feel very privileged to hear it from the son of one of the guys who raised our flag back up where it was supposed to be. I asked the author if he would send me a copy of his book so I can give it to Bill for Christmas. I'm sure I could pick one up at the book store, but it will be special to Bill coming from the son. Thanks again, Michael. You're doing so good! Keep it up. People need inspirational stories more than ever. Love you still, Joyce Fling JFling7@aol.com _________________________________________ Thought For The Day: "The next time you feel like complaining, remember that your garbage disposal probably eats better than 30 percent of the people in the world." Verse for the Day: "Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have..." --Hebrews 13:5 Kid's Thought For The Day: "If it is Mommy, it must be hugged." Parent's Thought For The Day: "I looked on child-rearing not only as a work of love and duty but as a profession that was fully as interesting and challenging as any honorable profession in the world and one that demanded the best that I could bring it." -- Rose Kennedy Coach's Thought For The Day: "It's a little like wrestling a gorilla. You don't quit when you're tired -- you quit when the gorilla is tired." --Robert Strauss Deep Thought For The Day: "I'm in shape ... Round is a shape isn't it?" ___________________________________________ _ /_/\/\ MICHAEL T. POWERS \_\ / HeartTouchers@aol.com /_/ \ "For I have been crucified with Christ and I no \_\/\ \ longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I \_\/ live in the body I live for the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." Galatians 2:20 ___________________________________________ The copyrights to the stories that appear in Heart Touchers are owned by the authors and are used with their permission. We refuse to run stories without the author's permission and contact info listed after the story. We also refuse to publish stories listed as "author unknown." (All of which violates Copyright Law and the rights of the authors.) This e-mail may be forwarded in its entirety, but please do not cut and paste the stories to be used elsewhere unless you have contacted and been given permission by the individual writer. Thank you so much for honoring the rights of those writers who graciously share their stories with us! __________________________________________ Video Imagery --Michael's Video Production Business "I thought of you first after my family sat down to watch the video we gave them. They loved it, to say the least! Within thirty seconds my mom was crying and my dad did too. They said it was the best Christmas gift we could have given them!! You did such a beautiful job! They were so surprised and so touched--they really, really, really loved it. Thanks for helping to make it so special to us all. My mom mentioned how the songs were perfect for the video too! Thanks again!" Kelli-- College Station, TX Let me make you a video from your pictures or home movies! Check out the web page for Michael's video production business! Visit: http://www.hearttouchers.com/video_imagery/ AOL Users click here: Video Imagery ___________________________________________ Would you like to see your story in Heart Touchers? Writer's guidelines can be found on our Web site here: http://www.HeartTouchers.com/guidelines/ AOL Users click here: Writer's Guidelines ___________________________________________ SUBSCRIBE: "I need a daily source of inspiration and encouragement in my life!" To become a Heart Touchers Member send an e-mail with "Subscribe" in the subject line to: HeartTouchers@AOL.COM Then get ready to laugh, cry, and be deeply touched by some of the best stories on the Internet! __________________________________________ UNSUBSCRIBE: All you have to do is send an e-mail with the word "Unsubscribe" in the subject line to: HeartTouchers@aol.com Give it a day or two to be processed... __________________________________________ Do you feel as if life has no meaning for you? http://www.greatcom.org/english/four.htm AOL Users click here: The Four Spiritual Laws __________________________________________ |
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Touching Lives - One E-mail at a Time! Author Michael T. Powers - HeartTouchers @ aol.com
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