In my new novel, Town of Angels, I decided to write a theme about bullying. I self reflected a lot as I wrote daily. I have never written my own account of bullying until now. For now more than ever is the time to step forward and make a statement not in fiction form but in truth. In high school there was a boy I’ll name Luke. He pestered me, yelled at me in the hallways and gave me dirty looks and told people vicious lies about me. I was friends with his girlfriend and he was jealous. I had little self esteem at the time due to unfortunate circumstances in my family and so I didn’t know how to handle it. There was no parent, teacher or counselor to help me yet I always knew God and his angels were there somewhere. I was so afraid of Luke I would never call him on his behavior. Instead, I took another route. I went on striving to do things I never thought  possible. I graduated college, grad school and had a blessed family. I was a Special Education teacher for twenty-five precious years. I’ve written three books and love helping as a volunteer for Love House Kids Program in Phoenix. I’ve come along way from the underachieving sensitive girl who let the bully in to hurt me. In reflection, I was always protected by the magnificent  love that comes from above. I hope to leave the earth as the best human being I can possibly become. You see, in Town of Angels, the bully doesn’t win of course. For love is more powerful than hate and loving yourself enough to pull through any unkindness can beat any bully at his game. Kindness, joy, hope and love are the enduring messages from the angels.

He was my student several years ago. Daniel, a boy with Down’s Syndrome had the love and support of a caring family and was a delight to teach. He flourished working in a supermarket in our program. He loved singing and one school day he said he was sorry for something he thought he did wrong by bringing his kazoo to class and singing me an I’m sorry song. His smile, the memory of his wonderful personality and love of singing will melt my heart forever. I recently saw him at a party given for him in his honor. He obviously has been an angel on earth to his family and friends.  To me Daniel earned his wings the day he was born! So many of the people with special needs light up the room when they enter. Their light is filled with kindness, innocence and love.

One of my dearest friends, Laura, told me she recently met a nice woman in a restaurant. The woman invited her to sit at an outside table where the conversation was friendly and turned after a while to angels. The woman told this story:

The woman’s sister had been gravely ill. Since her sister’s husband was one who sees angels he walked into their bedroom before she died to find a male angel sitting on the bed by his wife. The angel told his wife that she would be an angel when she passed away. Then the angel showed her a book. In the book were all the faces of the people she would help. 

This is one of the most beautiful stories I’ve ever heard. The dying sister was truly comforted.  Not only had she been loved but her guardian angel came to tell her of her new angel life awaiting. What a serendipitous meeting it was for my friend Laura. She not only met a new friend but found comfort as did I in the loveliest of angel stories.

I just completed Town of Angels, my third novel in the Mystic Bay series. I decided to write the character of Klaus, a bully, who comes to Mystic Bay because bullying is such a topic of our times.  It is with heartfelt passion that I wrote this story for the bully must never win. We are our children, grandchildren and future generations of children’s voices. I ask the angels everyday to help in all situations. I believe angels are with us unseen but present. My new novel was written with inspirations from angels through dreams, real life issues and those wonderful angels on earth we all know and love. Dear characters Madam Norma and Angel Ken work together in my novel to tame the bully. Will they? Town of Angels will be coming to you 2019!

Paul, though not his real name, was a favorite student of mine. Always smiling and singing. He was a teen when he came into my work program for kids with special needs. Some teachers told me he’d never work out in our program because of too many behaviors. But I found him to be a delight. He worked first volunteering then I placed him in a job at McDonalds where he flourished. Then he worked in a grocery store. When we’d have the breakfast each year to honor our employers and places that let the kids learn job skills, Paul would sing his thank you.  Each student had to get up and say thank you to their boss or supervisor.  

One day Paul and I were alone driving to a job site.  The radio was on and I always had country music on as there are no swear words. The kids grew to love the music. As we drove along Paul and I sang along with the song. He said to me, “Mrs. Sharpe, I like you. You’re nice to me! ” “I like you too Paul, I replied. “Thank you because you’re nice too.” That was years ago but the last I heard Paul was married and had two jobs
. Pretty great for the kid who might have not been in the work program. You see, with my students. I never gave up!

Over the years teaching children with special needs I found myself in awe of their wholesomeness. The first student that touched my heart was named Heather. Her middle name was Angel. I worked in a community center in a day long  program for these children. Heather was a fun and lively nine year old with a heart of gold. My first student with Down’s Syndrome, she paved the way for me to grow to love them all. I was so new and knew very little about children with disabilities but had wanted to teach these children since high school where I volunteered with girls with special needs who came to our school to learn to swim. Teaching Heather was a joy and her parents were the nicest people who encouraged their children with hope and boundless love. It’s been years since I saw her or her parents. It is my hope that Heather is somewhere happy, healthy and enjoying life for she was a wonderful child. Her favorite thing to say to me was, “Jody, you nut” and “Jody cowboy.”  Heather made such an impact in my life that in my novels The Angel’s Daughter  and To Catch an Angel, a few female characters have Angel as their middle name. Heather is the name of a child adopted in To Catch an Angel. I always will be grateful to all my students and Heather, the first student who stole my heart.

In my years teaching students with special needs, I found myself embracing the minds and  hearts of the children. Mat, a boy of sixteen, was a teenager when he entered my work program. He would say, “hi, bye, Mat, and girl” and would smile all the time. One spring day it was just Mat and me as we drove in the school van to a volunteer site where Mat would learn work skills. The day was lovely and thinking out loud I said, “What a beautiful spring day!”  To my surprise Mat commented, “I chase the butterflies!”  To say I was stunned was an understatement. Mat had been my student for two years and had never spoken more that one word.  I replied, “Yes Mat, what else happens in spring?”

“Birds sing,”he said.  Mat talked more after that and today he is a grown man and has a job in a workshop.  In all the years teaching I found there was so much more in the hearts and minds of my students then I would have ever guessed. My students continued to teach  me lessons of patience, unconditional love and to expect the unsuspected. I loved the story of Mat so much that in my novel, To Catch an Angel, little Emma Rose who is mute chases butterflies. She speaks for the first time in the novel too and to me it has such a special meaning.  Angels are everywhere and especially for me  Mat and all my students will forever be my  angels unaware.

At book signings I always ask everyone who comes up to my table if they think they might have ever had an encounter with an angel. I find so many people have had some kind of angel connection and are eager to share their  spiritual experience. One family came  up to me at a book fair and told me of their little three year old’s  sighting.  One day the little girl said she saw an angel standing before them. They did not see the angel and were surprised when their little girl raised both arms to heaven and shouted “Glory Hallelujah! “

Many children have had angel experiences. In my novel To Catch an Angel,  miracles happen in Mystic Bay as three children have angel encounters. These events bring the whole town together to share in the joy of the angel sightings. The effect of  love from the angel sightings goes all around the world. I believe there’s really a spiritual awakening in the world today! I believe in angels…

For twenty five years of teaching  my students with special needs filled my heart. They were all unique, loving and gifted in their own way. Their senses of humor amazed me and they were loving and fun and loved school and all their teachers more  than I  ever hoped for. 

Dale Evans Rogers wrote the book, “Angel Unaware” in the 60’s about her own daughter who was born with Downs Syndrome. I always wanted to read the book for I loved the title as it spoke to me for it’s trueness. Robin, her daughter, died at two but she and her husband the famous cowboy and actor, Roy Rogers, thought Robin in her short time on earth  had taught them so much about life and love. At that time the children with disabilities were not allowed in public schools. Not to long ago at a book signing for my novels I found the used book in a wonderful book shop.  It is always on my desk as a reminder of my career and the angels unaware that inspired me. In my novel To Catch an Angel, angels appear to three children with disabilities. It was my way to pay tribute to the children who unknowingly changed my world and helped me through the worst time of my life.

When my daughter Kate passed away my students soothed my heart helping me move forward. One day Molly, my student, was with me in a van going to a job site. Molly was a teenager with a wonderful smile and heart and was quite soft spoken. As we drove she had tears running down her cheeks. What’s wrong, Molly,” I asked alarmed that she was crying.

“I’m sorry about your daughter,” she told me. I was shocked at her ability to express sympathy in such a mature and loving way.  Her mother had told her of Kate’s passing the night before. The innocent and beautiful heart of this young lady moved me each day as did all the other students I was fortunate enough to teach. I was meant to be their teacher and have the most fulfilling of careers. For you see, my students with special needs were actually my own teachers. They taught me kindness, patience, humor and acceptance and so much more.  As Dale Evans said, “She strengthened us spiritually.”I will always be grateful and miss each angel unaware.

His name was Ken and I met him on a plane bound for New York. He was a burly young man and traveled the country for his job repairing high tech of some sort. Along with our seat mate a lovely lady named Billy, we talked the hours away about our lives. The three of us had the same beliefs about our world, how kindness and love were all that matterd. Ken was particularly concerned with prejudice of all kinds and our discussions revolved mainly on this topic. I told them both of my writing novels and  how I would love for them to be characters in my next book. They both agreed and seemed elated. I asked, ” Ken if I make you an angel in my new book what profession would have been your dream if you could pick one?” Ken replied quickly, “I always wanted to be a football player.” “That’s what you’ll be then,” I told him.  Billy, I informed them would be the little girl in my novel. I gave them my card and told them to email me and I would send them copies of my books. As we departed the plane in New York, we stood and hugged each other. I heard form Billy and I sent her my books. I never heard from Ken. Little does Ken know that whenever it is finished he is the man angel in my book. I’ve described him to my best recollection. The odd thing is that after meeting Ken I remember a woman who saw angels who  I met at Payson Book Fair two years before. She said there was an angel named Ken beside me. I didn’t know anyone by that name then. I was amazed I’d forgotten the incident when meeting Ken.  Writing both Billy and Ken is a blessing to me. I meet so many nice people on planes.  I’ll let Billy know when my book is finished but Ken? I don’t know. Ken, wherever you are I say thank you for making such an impact on me for I’ve written the most endearing character ever in my Mystic Bay Books series. Maybe you really are an angel!