It came to me one night before my eyes closed in slumber, to donate my children’s book When The Angel Sent Butterflies to children in group homes and shelters. I’ve begun the process sending books to  Lovehousekidsprogram.org. This is a program near and dear to my heart. Also, I hope to donate my memoir Special Needs Children The Angel’s On My Shoulder, to organizations benefiting those special students who changed my life for the better. Many wonderful organizations locally and around the country include Downs Syndrome Network of Arizona and Best Buddies. Other organizations include ones endorsed by Maria Shriver. There are so many incredible people sharing their time and efforts to help those with special needs.

Mohamed Ali said in his later years that he was, “Getting ready to meet God.”  What an inspiring message. Helping others in need to me is what life is all about. The angels are always near to help us reach our loving goals.  

I’ve written a memoir of my career teaching children with special needs. A hint below of what’s to come from my heart and soul:

“You must be so patient teaching special ed!” I must have heard that comment one hundred times over the course of my twenty-five year teaching career. I usually would reply,” I love teaching the kids.” Of course I didn’t know until years later the magnitude of what my students brought to my world. My students over the twenty-five years taught me so much about kindness and living in the now. They showed me gifts from their pure and honest hearts. Oh, there were challenges of course, but we met them together.

As I wrote the memoir,  I can tell you I believe in angels, in heaven surely for I know I met one once.  But also, I’ve been fortunate enough to meet some people who to me are angels on earth, They guide us all with their unique gentleness of persuasions. Such is the case I believe with children with special needs.

I believe people come into our lives for a reason and have many qualities I believe angels have.  This has been my writers message to all who read my novels, children’s book and blogs. The truth is I’ve always believed this. At age three, I had  imaginary friends, three of them. Yes, three! But I can’t remember what they looked like only that they happily played with me. I have a psychic friend who told me they were my guardian angels. I’d like to think they were.

So many of my life experiences have fallen into place, a synchronicity, a tapestry woven together with a fabric of kindness.  Besides my guardian angels,  I believe heaven sent two teachers who unknowingly influenced the path I took on the road to teaching. To me they were angels on earth guiding me, albeit unknowingly, towards my teaching children with special needs.

Decades later I can still see the kind and loving face of my second grade teacher, Mrs. St. John. I see her kind and loving face as if next to me and remember she was the first person who made me feel worthwhile.

Through grade school and up through high school and beyond life was difficult. My family life unfortunatley was disfunctional and  so I suffered as an underachiever. But this story isn’t about my childhood. It’s about the synchronicity of events that changed my life, the people I met, the students I taught and lastly at the saddest part of my life. This is also the time I know I met a real angel.

These were the defining moments in the steps to a rewarding career teaching children with special needs. This is a book about the serendipitous events unfolding the teaching career bringing me my life’s most valuable teachers, my students….