All These Years Later…Frankie and Jackson Still Touch My Heart.

Posted July 21, 2015 by Barbara Techel

All These Years Later...Jackson and Frankie Still Touch My Heart. — Jackson then with Frankie and Jackson now with me and Gidget

It’s hard to believe Jackson will be entering into 4th grade this fall.

He was only three years old when I met him. His mom, Dawn, and his aunt, Lori, having discovered my first children’s book, Frankie the Walk ‘N Roll Dog at a local resort where I live when they came for a girls weekend away.

Dawn purchased it for Jackson because he has a challenge himself with a mild form of cerebral palsy. At the time, he was having a hard time accepting wearing a new leg brace he had to wear at night.

I will never forget the email from Dawn after she read the book to Jackson and how he could relate to Frankie’s story and her wheelchair. And best of all, how it helped him to accept wearing his brace. I have a chapter in my memoir, Through Frankie’s Eyes dedicated to Jackson and Frankie.

The love and understanding without words, between Jackson and Frankie touched me deeply when I witnessed them meeting for the first time almost seven years ago.

And I’m grateful we stay in touch even though they live in Illinois.

But now and then, they venture to Elkhart Lake and today was such a day! And I was able to see Jackson and his family again when we met for breakfast at our local cafe, Off the Rail.

I was blown away at how grown up Jackson is. And still very sweet and definitely a huge animal lover. He sat on the ground petting Gidget and talking to her.

They were then off to see Bookworm Gardens where Frankie has a statue likeness of her in a wheelchair and a dog house with her name on it. I asked Jackson if he would please give Frankie a kiss for me. As much as I would have loved to go along, I couldn’t due to my schedule.

And oh, how it made my day when Dawn sent me these two photos below of Jackson seeing Frankie’s place of honor for the first time.

Though I was saddened to hear that Frankie’s wheelchair is broken. So I’ve contacted the gardens to see if it is fixable or if we need to see about getting a replacement.

Jackson, a young boy who will always have a special place in my heart right alongside Frankie. How honored I will always feel that by writing Frankie’s story it helped Jackson in such a special way.

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I Should Have Known Better. A Broken Promise.

Posted July 19, 2015 by Barbara Techel

It was serendipity that I would have my friend, Cindy join me to check out John Michael Kohler Arts Center Midsummer Festival of Arts yesterday.

And on my birthday no less.

A glass of wine in hand, we strolled the streets checking out all the talented artists and their work.

There is just something about viewing art, being with a friend, sipping wine, and warm sunshine that can fill my soul with pure joy.

And money from my mom and in-laws for my birthday that was burning a hole in my pocket that I just had to spend.

But I had made a promise to myself.

No buying any wiener dog treasures.

How many does a girl need I told myself.

I promised.

And then it happened.

As if this beam of light shined down from the heavens and spotlighted this adorable metal sculpted dachshund.

“A wiener dog!” I exclaimed.

I shot off like a rocket headed right for the whimsical looking dog.

The angel on my right shoulder whispered in my ear, “But you promised. No wiener dog things!”

Oh but look at her! She is so happy! She reminds me of Gidget.

And then I knew I was in trouble when the artist from Garden Deva Sculptures out of Oklahoma said, “I almost didn’t bring this one today. It’s the only one left.”

That was it. I had to have her. Promise broken.

Wallet lighter.

Heart happy.

It was worth it. So worth it.

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Almost Another Year Older

Posted July 17, 2015 by Barbara Techel

Tomorrow is my birthday! It was almost July 19th, but I busted into the world just in the nick of time at 11:55pm, 52 years ago.

I was a whopping baby (due to my mom’s love of Fudgesicles I think!)…. weighing in at 9 lbs., 3 oz. Mmmm, I could go for a Fudgesicle right now!

Almost another year older and the beat goes on…

And as I think about my birth all those years ago, I’m thinking about how much I love this second half of my life, or as I recall years ago Dr. Wayne Dyer calling it, the afternoon of our life.

Not that I didn’t enjoy the first half (the morning of), but knowing what I know now, I appreciate life so much more.

And I think about how when we are born, we are so open and free — nothing of ideals and projections have been put upon us at that time — we are so close to where we came from (God/Spirit) those first few years.

And then at some point after all the layers pile on from getting wrapped up in so many different points of view and how some ideals can begin to weigh us down, we begin walking back toward that inner place of pureness again — peeling away the layers, one by one, and finding acceptance and more peace in who we authentically are.

At least this has been the case for me. I welcome it and am enjoying this more confident sense of self that continues to morph and evolve.

I love birthday’s and hope that I will always embrace them as I do, no matter how old I get.

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