The Art of Healing

*Music: Waiting Arms (2017) by..

This is the art of healing. Drawings by Tina Walker. Her continued journey out of the past and into the present. She is more than a survivor of bullying and other emotional scars; she is a successful woman, a champion of weight loss... She is a nurturer of her faith upon which she is building a foundation for the todays and her future. May you find some comfort in her art; knowing whatever you are going through, you are not alone. There is healing with time, faith, hope, and a lot of work. Find your constructive outlet; express yourself, let the healing begin!

#art #healing #journey #survivor #bullying #emotionalScars #emotions #weightloss #faith #YouAreNotAlone #YouGotThis #expressYourself

Donald's Cross by Joseph Todd Emerson

Fiction With Lessons for Reality

“That to speak out against economic and social injustice is to speak to the prophetic vision of Christ’s affirming love for everyone. That Christ is, indeed, alive within all of us and that the church must be actively involved in progressive change from environmental stewardship and civil rights to marriage equality…It is, Donnie. It’s the cross that we must carry with us.” - Donald's Cross by Joseph Todd Emerson

Amazon.com

The culture wars have descended and have disturbed the comfortable and privileged residents of Pernoit County, Virginia. Caught in the midst of this conflict is Donald Ross, the eldest son of Dr. Eric Ross, the Senior Minister at Grace Progressive Church. Donnie has two things on his mind as he enters the summer between his Junior and Senior years at Logan High School, finding a job and improving his baseball swing. He never intends on becoming an avid volunteer to defeat his state’s anti-gay marriage referendum. Yet, after being entrusted with a secret from his favorite teacher and receiving a personal revelation from God, Donnie ventures upon his quest to heed the call of the Prophet Isaiah to “seek justice.” Click to Read more from Amazon Book Description.


"This deeply engrossing novel challenges the reader to examine fundamental notions of fairness and question how far would you be prepared to go in furtherance of your own moral convictions. Yet Donnies moral coming of age remains thoroughly entertaining throughout. The closing is subtly powerful leaving the reader anxiously awaiting the next outing by this talented new novelist. By steve adcox Amazon Reviews

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About the Author:
"Joseph T. Emerson was awarded the doctor of education degree at the 185th commencement of The George Washington University on The Mall in Washington, D.C. Emerson graduated from Tabb High School and holds both a B.A. and a M.A.T. from Christopher Newport University." *Daily Press

Dr. Joseph Emerson is a career educator. His research interests include the politics of education, adolescent political socialization, and the role of religious faith has in cultivating personal leadership capacities. His previously published work includes a doctoral dissertation on educational interest groups, a policy paper on reframing school board governance, and a critical review of the literature on teachers’ unions. A portion of his dissertation's second chapter is currently being used as a template by the National Council of Professors of Educational Administration to assist members in lobbying members of the United States Congress. Donald’s Cross, Dr. Emerson’s first novel, is available as an e-book. “The Unlikely Hero,” an anti-bullying short story won third place in a national competition sponsored by Writer’s Digest. He currently teaches AP Psychology, Introduction to Psychology, and Sociology in Newport News, Virginia. *Joseph Todd Emerson

What inspired “Donald’s Cross?”:
Before I started writing this novel, I was strictly a writer of non-fiction. I had just successfully defended my dissertation on educational interest groups when one of my former students quipped that needed to explain my findings to a broader, non-academic audience. I was already feeling the “withdrawals” of not writing on a daily basis, and thought maybe, just maybe, I had a novel buried deep within me. Virginia had just passed a referendum banning same-sex marriage in our constitution. So, during a brisk walk I contemplated what would be most uncommon individual who would stand in favor of “bending the arc of justice.” “Donald’s Cross” emerged from that intersection of my former student’s advisement, my own personal experience in politics, and the desire I had to continue writing.

How long have you been writing?:
I did a tremendous amount of writing working on my various degrees. I enjoyed reading fiction, yet was so focused on my personal research agenda that writing fiction was never really something I thought I could achieve. Since writing “Donald’s Cross,” I spend most of my time writing fiction, including a few short stories. I’ve completed a few items, including a possible sequel to “Donald’s Cross,” that are currently being vetted.

Links to other works by Joseph Todd Emerson:
I’m pleased that a portion of my dissertation’s second chapter was once used as a possible template for members of the National Council for Professors of Educational Administration to lobby members of the United States Congress. A link to that chapter can be found here: Reformers or Roadblocks: Educational Interest Groups and State Policy Formation, Click to ACCESS FULL MANUSCRIPT or anyone interested in reading the whole dissertation can also access it via Dissertations Abstracts International. The UMI number for that document is: 3249376.

“The Unlikely Hero,” by Joseph Todd Emerson is a short story that won third place in the mainstream/literary category of the 82ND ANNUAL WRITER’S DIGEST WRITING COMPETITION WINNERS can be found in the May/June 2013 issue of “Separate Worlds” by logging onto: http://www.speculativefictionstories.com.

No to Bullying and Know

No to Bullying and Know:

To Those who are Bullied or have been Bullied

We are Sorry

Know there are many People working to S.T.O.P. Bullying

Please talk to someone who can help you, help you heal

Know You can Call your local HotLine Any Time

Know There is Always a tomorrow

Know the bullying and your pain will pass one day

Know there are many People you have never met

Know We care about You

And Know We accept You just the way You are

{{Hugs}} from the Universe!

~ndpthepoetress

You Are The Fairest Fair of All

To This Day Poem
Shane Koyczan Canadian Spoken Word Artist

"Dozens of collaborators from around the world helped to bring this piece to life. Learn more about them and the project at To This Day Project"

"The quote here is taken from the incredibly passionate written word performance by poet Shane Koyczan. Take a couple minutes this morning to watch and listen to one of the most powerful accounts of bullying you may ever hear and feel." -The BULLY Project

Shane Koyczan "To This Day": "Help this message have a far reaching and long lasting effect in confronting bullying. Please share generously."

Dear Santa Big Time Rush To Stop Bullying

Ryan Suffern Wants Santa To Stop Bullying Of His Sister Amber

The BULLY Project
Tony "The Anti-Jared" Posnanski Health/Wellness Website ("¹After reading her son's letter over the weekend, Suffern shared it online with friends, including Tony Posnanski's Facebook page, where he features stories of inspiration, weight loss and life advice.")

Big Time Rush (BTR)

Instagram (@therealcarlospena)

CNN iReport

YouTube

*"²According to statistics reported by ABC News, nearly 30 percent of students are either bullies or victims of bullying, and 160,000 kids stay home from school every day because of fear of bullying…"

*Bully-proofing your kids

Be More Than a Bystander

fouseyTUBE

I don't know what shocked me more, this video or the derogative stereotypical unwarranted negative comments and the amount of people who 'liked' such senseless verbal bashing at Vodio posting of this video. Even if the first comment was intended as a joke, words can be verbal weapons and words hurt. If one must make a defamatory joke at the expense of another individual or culture, than it is not a joke.

Be More Than a Bystander

Bullying Prevention Campaign

The BULLY Project: "We are super excited to announce the launch of a new Bullying Prevention Campaign in partnership with our friends at the Ad Council. Marlo Thomas thank you for your support and for kicking it off!"^1.

“…children who are bullied in America are issuing a silent scream for help. It is up to us to listen for that scream. And to act. Tragically, it is too late for Kaitlin and Rebecca Ann, but their deaths should compel all of us to make the fight our own."...“This is why we are forging a war against bullying," Katlin's mother, Evelyn, wrote in a heartbreaking post on her daughter's Facebook page (now a memorial page), beneath a photo of Katlin's grave. "We will always miss our Katlin, the pain will never go away. Together we can keep this tragedy from happening again."(A Silent Scream for Help: Bullying in America)^{The Huffington Post}


1. The BULLY Project on Facebook October 15, 2013

Bullying Prevention Month

The BULLY Project: It's bullying prevention month, and these stats speak to the work we have ahead of us during October and beyond. Will you join us in taking a stand? Head to www.thebullyproject.com for our bullying prevention resources we've designed to help you take action.






The Bully Project on Facebook  October 8, 2013

#SpiritDay on October 17

#SpiritDay

Isaac Mizrahi: We're teaming up with GLAAD and millions of others and pledging to go purple on #‎SpiritDay 10/17 to stand up against bullying and to support LGBT youth. Join us! http://glaad.org/spiritday

Millions wear purple on Spirit Day in a stand against bullying and to show their support for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youth. Observed annually since 2010, individuals, schools, organizations, corporations, and public figures wear purple, which symbolizes 'spirit' on the rainbow flag.

LGBTQI

Posted from Facebook: GLAAD #‎SpiritDay