Happy Easter, Everyone!

Image by Stitch via Flickr

 I thought this a worthy post to celebrate the Easter Holiday and the Resurrection of Our Lord. It is also a reminder that April is child abuse prevention month.

This is a repost.............

Chocolate bunnies and brightly colored eggs are what children look forward to on Easter Sunday. Dressing in their finest pastel dresses and shirts to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus and the rebirth of Spring.

To some children.......this is only a dream......

Over 3 million children are abused every year in the United States. Physical, emotional or sexual child abuse is rampant and while many laws and programs have been put in place in the past decades, our children are still suffering the abuse.
April is the month designated to child abuse prevention, but we need to be diligent all year round to keep our kids safe and secure. Even when we think a child is safe, they can be hurt, inside their own homes, by their own parents or other family members. People, who the child should be able to trust and feel safe with, are many times the people who harm them. Physical scars will heal in time, but the emotional scars of this type of child abuse never heal. Their innocent lives are changed forever, by calling them names or making them feel inadequate in some way. Verbal abuse isn't talked about as much as the others (physical, emotional and sexual), but it can be just as devastating to a child.
Here are a few statistics that will shock you.

• A report of abuse is made every 10 seconds
• Five children die EVERY DAY as a result of child abuse. Three out of four are under the age of four
• 60-85% of child fatalities due to neglect are not recorded as such on their death certificate
• 90% of child sexual abuse victims know their perpetrators
• Child abuse occurs at every socioeconomic level, across every ethnic and cultural line, within all religions and at all levels of education

Child abuse is insidious, because of the effect it has on the child long after the crime and well into adulthood. To learn more click here.
Child Welfare Information Gateway - Definitions of child abuse and neglect - A summary of State laws

Related articles by Zemanta

• Deaf Boys Tried For Decades To Tell Of Priest's Sexual Abuse (huffingtonpost.com)
• Tennyson Center for Children Encourages People to Help Fight Child Abuse and Neglect During National Child Abuse Prevention Month (eon.businesswire.com)

Merry Christmas to My Twitter Friends

Image by allerleirau via Flickr

I had no idea what Twitter would do for me as an aspiring writer. Soon, though, I found out how welcoming the writing community can be. It was last June or July, (can't remember which) that I began tweeting about my aspirations as a writer. I have met so many wonderful people who share the love of writing and reading and feel that a whole new world has opened up to me.

Something I have always wanted to do and believed that I could do has become a reality. I am now a writer. I have very much work to do in perfecting this craft of writing. I am no where near the writer I would like to be, but I can see the possibilities now, because of my dear Twitter friends. I have never met a more supportive group in my lifetime.

@writingspirit @markdavidgerson @Wisneski @mdemuth @Donna_Carrick @Alex_Carrick @KCBOOKS @AuthorGabrielle @MichaelHyatt @PublishingGuru @RachelleGardner @johannaharness @janineShepherd @gtakamiya @LisaCollierCool @joe_roy @GargoylePhan @MissBeckala @jennienash @AnnArmbrecht @KMWeiland @heidi_stryker @Le_Shack @JaneFriedman @ClaraGillow @kbairokeeffe @christinerose @JodiCleghorn @Ghunibee @kuhlcat @groovymystery @jmstro @Doublelattemama @lauraeno @jonpinnock @Wendell_Howe @dlschubert @smilingwriter @DHeiliman @David_N_Wilson @inkyelbows @thewritermama @Peevish_Penman @lkblackburne @alisonwells @DebraMarrs @BooksByTara @TonyNoland @thehrgoddess @brianrathbone @righter1 @KristanHite @bradshorr @ireadiwrite @merylkevans @DavinaH @WriteSuzanne @JodiWhisenhunt @amysorrells @triciagoyer @AntSteele @Boolawoola @nixdesk @hank_phillippi @whenwelisten @joannayoung @MichaelPokocky @FlowerDust @SuzInIL @CafeNirvana @rightnowcoach @Trishryan @Veroniqque @CynLeitichSmith @bethlayne @MyleneDressler @recreate @Toltecjohn @louiejerome @Derek_Haines @EmApocalyptic @frostdevereaux @Annemazer @CyberDivaVA @rkuang @storyladies @CliveM @VarietyPages @jimsissy @JoeFinder @JohnBOlson @echogarrett @AnneTylerLord @techtigger.

These past six months, you have all touched my life in some way, directly or indirectly. Whether by an article or writing tip or life tip, or just inspirational words that you managed to put in 140 characters. One of you, (you know who you are) even gave me the opportunity to have one of my story's published on his site, www.jimwisneski.com, in a 12 Days of Christmas project on his Writers n' Writers site. And, then, there were those of you, who just made me smile. If I have forgotten to mention anyone, please know that this is my failing, not yours. If we have touched hearts, even for a second, you mean the world to me.

I want to acknowledge each and every one of you and say thank you to all.
Have a Wonderful Holiday Season!
And because of who I am, (and though it may not be politically correct) I must say
Merry Christmas!