I received the most amazing news today.

I am working with an artist in Venice, Florida on a collaborative book venture. I spoke with him this morning to see what's happening in his corner of the universe.

Well, he has his copy of The Constellation of Omens and has been reading it when time permits. He does a lot of his engravings on the beach and works with autistic children doing art therapy.

Today, he told me an absolutely amazing story. He said about two weeks or so ago, he was on the beach reading my book and doing his engravings. There were teenagers hanging out on the beach (15, 16 yrs. old or so) who come from broken homes, juvenile detention, etc... 

He called them over and told them he has something to read to them. He read a chapter of my book to them (figuring that they'd say, "what the h***? shut up" or something along those lines).  Instead, they were listening very intently with looks of "amazement" on their faces.

He then saw them on another day and he read them another chapter. He told the children that if they continue down the paths they are on, that this (what he was reading from the book) could happen to them. One of the children replied, "I don't need to go to school, I'm going in the military. They'll take me."  He read some more to the children and told them that if they meet him every week on the beach, he will read them a chapter a week.

The next time he saw the teens, one (or two of them, I forget what he told me -- I was totally in shock) .. told him that they are going back to school and are going to graduate high school because they do not want things to end up like that.

Let me just say I am in utter awe over this. I knew from the outset with this book that it had to be read...the message is just so, so important. I never thought, though, in my wildest dreams, that the words I penned would reverberate to the very core like this, in such a powerful, empowering way, that children would listen to the point that they re-examined their lives and are now making a change for the better. 

I am just so overjoyed, humbled and just thrilled over this news today. If nothing else ever comes of this book, the fact that these children took to it in such a postive light, makes the entire journey all worth it.

God Bless!

~Deborah


 


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