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We’ve all experienced it �� you lose a loved one and find yourself constantly looking for a connection with them, searching for reassurances that they are still “okay.��

The writers who have shared their stories in our book, Chicken Soup for the Soul: Messages from Heaven and Other Miracles , have lost parents, friends, siblings, even children, and have been comforted by messages and signs from their loved ones. They opened their hearts�� and so can you�� here’s how:

Expect the impossible.
Linda Kinnamon, a nurse, loved her patient Julie, a young mother dying from lung cancer. She was so sad when she had to call her family one night to come and say goodbye. When Linda returned to work two days later she was astounded to find that Julie was being discharged. Julie explained that she had found herself in heaven that night, but had asked for a little more time because she needed to do something for her two young daughters. “I’m not going to be here for any of their special moments, so I’m going to write letters. Sixteenth birthdays, graduations, weddings, whatever—I need to write down what I would say to them.�� Julie got her wish. She went home and wrote her letters, and then she said goodbye for real.

Look for special signs that only you would understand.
Julie Rine Holderbaum’s husband Mike had worked in a job where he encountered hundreds of rubber bands every day. He used to bring home piles of rubber bands every day, and Julie got tired of the bagfuls he stashed in their closets. Unfortunately, Mike died very young, of cancer, when their daughter was just a toddler. Julie started finding rubber bands everywhere—the unusual big, thick kind that he used to bring home. Those rubber bands started showing up in the strangest places: in the middle of Times Square, on Julie’s mother’s dining-room table, on the deck of a cruise ship. Now, Julie loves those rubber bands. She says, “To me, rubber bands are beautiful. They are magical. They held the pieces of my broken heart together until it was healed enough to love again. And now, rubber bands remind me that even though people die, love never does.��

Ask for the reassurance that you need.
Connie Kaseweter Pullen had met Nancy when they were nine years old. Little did they know they would remain great friends for five decades after that. When Nancy’s mother called Connie with the news that her friend had terminal cancer, Connie rushed to her side. They spent the next two weeks together, and Nancy promised that she would do everything possible to reach out and let Connie know that she was still there for her. At the funeral, Connie whispered through her tears, “Nancy, I really need a hug from you!�� Minutes later, the kind, elderly priest made his way over to Connie, wrapped his arms around her, and whispered, “Here’s a hug from Nancy.��

Amy Newmark

Whether an experienced grandparent, or a grand-parent-to-be, you'll love these 101 heartwarming, amusing and inspirational stories in our book, Chicken Soup for the Soul: Grandparents .

We've all witnessed that special bond between grandparents and their grandchildren�� it's filled with unconditional love, understanding, admiration, and even a few secrets!

The bond comes about in so many different ways �� here are two of my favorite examples from the book where grandparents have created that special connection:

Make magical things happen, because grandparents can do that.
Thalia Dunn lived across the street from her grandparents and spent a lot of time with her grandfather in his garden, where he grew flowers and vegetables and had beautiful flowering trees, including a magnificent magnolia. That magnolia tree was perfect for climbing, but Thalia couldn’t get over her fear. Finally, her grandfather came up with the perfect solution. One day, he waved her over to his house and showed her that the magnolia tree had magically bloomed with colorful lollipops instead of blossoms. Thalia forgot her fear and climbed right up that tree, gathering handfuls of lollipops.

Provide that unconditional, non-judgmental support.
Five-year-old Evan Purcell didn’t understand why he liked different things than other boys, but he enjoyed singing songs from The Little Mermaid and having tea parties with the neighborhood girls. Then he shocked his extended family when he chose what they considered to be a girl’s item as his prize with the tickets he won at the arcade. His cousins were laughing at him, so he quickly picked something else. That was when his Nana spoke up. She told the arcade girl to give him the prize he had picked first. Evan says, “I didn’t realize at the time what a big moment this was, both for me and my family.�� Years later, he would understand the love and support that Nana Shirl provided that day.

Amy Newmark

Being a mother is the most difficult and the most rewarding job there is. It’s a lifetime career that starts the moment you know you’re expecting.

Sometimes, moms wonder if they’re getting through. Are they making a difference? Do their kids appreciate them? The answer is ��yes,�� as illustrated by the 101 stories in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Mom Knows Best: 101 Stories of Love, Gratitude & Wisdom

Here is a quick look at two things grown children say they understand and appreciate about the women who helped them as kids and as adults, certain to be inspirational to mothers, grandmothers, stepmothers, mothers-in-law, and honorary mothers everywhere:

Mothers are often our most important role models.
Weston Collins�� mother told him magical, creative stories every night, all the product of her fertile imagination. When he asked her where he could find stories like that, she explained that hers weren’t found in any books, but that he could write his own. She died when he was only nine, but her influence persisted. Today, Weston is a science fiction writer, with many books to his credit. “Now the world can share story time with my mom,�� he says.

No matter how much we protest, we will end up acting like our mothers.
“I had the best intentions not to turn into my mother,�� says Randi Mazzella. The embarrassing way her mother was dressed when she picked her up at school, the “stupid�� rules she enforced, the music she listened to—Randi was going to be different. Until she found herself doing all the same things as her mom, because that’s what works. “I found out that turning into your mother is sometimes inevitable,�� admits Randi. “So, yes, I’ve turned into my mother, and my kids are darn lucky I have.��

Happy Mother's Day!


Amy Newmark

Did you know the month of April is National Autism Awareness Month? It's the perfect time to promote autism awareness and of course, to support those who are on the spectrum and their families.

An autism spectrum diagnosis is life changing, and the journey can often feel lonely for parents. But there is a whole spectrum of support out there for parents and family members of children diagnosed with autism or Asperger’s syndrome.

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Raising Kids on the Spectrum: 101 Inspirational Stories for Parents of Children with Autism and Asperger's contains 101 stories that offer great advice and emotional support for parents of kids on the spectrum, no matter what their age.

Here are a couple of my favorite stories in the book from parents who have been there:

Find your support system.
At school dismissal one afternoon, Christine Coleman had a difficult time handling her young son’s rare, but epic, meltdown. Feeling inept and self-conscious, she worried about other parents�� reactions to the situation. But instead of being judged, she received an outpouring of care and support from parents on Facebook. “That’s my village,�� Christine writes. “No judgment against me or Cuyler. Simply concern and worry. Asking how they can help the next time it happens.�� She discovered a kind and understanding community that will support her and her family.

Embrace the small victories.
Jeneil Palmer Russell’s daughters Rhema and Hope weren’t exactly getting along. Day after day Hope would follow her older sister around, asking for a high five. But Rhema would always ignore Hope, still viewing her younger sister as a pest. Finally, one day, after Hope had crashed into her sister during a chase, Rhema finally high fived her back. “What word suffices here? Momentous? Stupendous?�� Jeneil writes. “I cheered like the Red Sox had won another World Series.��


Amy Newmark

In honor of National Nurses Week, we are celebrating all the nurses out there who heal patients, touch lives, and selflessly nurture others with their hands and their hearts.

The collection of stories in our book, Chicken Soup for the Soul: Inspiration for Nurses: 101 Stories of Appreciation and Wisdom champions nurses' daily contributions, commitments and sacrifices, and depicts the compassion and intelligence and humor needed to meet today's demands.

It's a perfect way to say "Thank You" to a special nurse, or "Welcome" to a new nurse who has joined your team or just graduated from school!

So thank your nurses... not just this week, but every week!


Amy Newmark

We learn so much from our feline friends, and along the way they keep us company, provide unconditional love, and share in the ups and downs of our lives.

What do we learn from them? Everything! Our cats make us better people. If we rescued them, they rescue us back. If we’re sad, they comfort us. If we need to have more fun, they show us how.

Here are two of my favorite stories from Chicken Soup for the Soul - Life Lessons From The Cat and the lessons learned from our feline friends!

Sometimes you have to love and let go.
E.E. King spent a lot of time at her aunt and uncle’s house, and played with their new cat, T, all summer. But when winter came around, T acted shocked. That cat hated snow and cold. The next summer, they played together again�� until T disappeared on August 29th. The family searched everywhere, but the cat was gone—until he mysteriously reappeared on April 12th as if nothing had happened. He disappeared again the next August 29th, and again reappeared on April 12th, and he did the same thing for the next two years. The fifth time that August 29th came around, the family was ready. They followed T to a neighbor’s house where a silver trailer was parked. It turned out that T was hitching a ride to Florida every August, wintering there with the neighbors, and then returning to his first family in April. Everyone agreed that the cat should continue to have his summer family and his winter family.

Remember it takes two to make a fight.
Susan Yanguas adopted two kittens, sisters, because she didn’t have the heart to split them up. The two sisters were very different in coloring and disposition, and unfortunately they also developed quite a case of sibling rivalry. They were always squabbling and provoking each other. Susan found herself saying, “Why can’t you two just get along? You’re sisters!�� And then she realized she sounded just like her mother. Susan started observing the cats�� fights and realized how much she and her sister acted the same way. She also watched how the cats made up with each other. Susan comments, “While I can’t say I now enjoy a perfectly harmonious relationship with my sister, adopting these two siblings has showcased the dynamics of antagonistic personalities for me. I’m reminded daily that it takes two to have an argument.��


Amy Newmark

All year long teachers work hard. They create the future, acting as role models and confidants as well as helping studiers learn the curriculum. They have constant pressure to meet quantitative standards, but what about the qualitative achievements, the ones that can't be measured numerically?

Sometimes, teachers need to be reassured that they are indeed making a difference—that they are shaping tomorrow's thinkers and leaders. The 101 stories in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Inspiration for Teachers does just that, providing our beloved teachers with the inspiration and appreciation they deserve every day.

One of my favorite stories is from Anne Cavanaugh Sawan. In elementary school, Anne always brought her lunch and envied the other kids who got to buy lunch. Her first grade teacher, Mrs. Caruso, must have noticed because she offered to buy Anne lunch as a reward for her hard work. “The next day, I proudly carried my tray of chicken fricassee across the cafeteria and took my seat at the hot-lunch table,�� Anne shares. “Honestly, the food wasn’t as great as I had imagined, but I was pleased to be there and felt honored to be a part of the group.�� One time, Mrs. Caruso gave Anne’s family bags of “extra�� clothes, toys, and books. “I don’t know why Mrs. Caruso took a shine to my family. Maybe she also grew up in a family that struggled. Maybe she knew what it was like to feel just a little less than everyone else,�� Anne says. “Somehow, even with her quiet charity, she never made me feel ashamed. She just made me feel loved and important.�� Years later, Anne still remembers that feeling. “I’ve never lost that feeling—of being important to someone and being protected by her,�� Anne writes. “After all these years, I’m still grateful to that wonderful teacher.��

So before schools lets out for the summer make sure to say "Thank You" to that special teacher!

Today is Global Running Day, "a worldwide celebration of running that encourages everyone to get moving," according to GlobalRunningDay.com. At Chicken Soup for the Soul we are celebrating with our new book, Chicken Soup for the Soul: Running for Good.

We collaborated with Ultramarathoner Dean Karnazes to provide 101 real-life stories that will be sure to motivate you to get out there!

Here are tips from two of my favorite stories in the book that will help inspire you to lace up your sneakers and go out for a run:

You can make new friends no matter where you are
When Helen Boulos and her family moved from Tennessee to Delaware, she knew she would miss the warm weather and the trails she had run on. But then she found that she was missing something else, too—friends. One day another mother from school told her about a mothers�� running group. Helen joined the group and was welcomed into their circle. Then, when she was in New York and her mother died, in Maryland, her new friends rallied around her and helped plan the entire funeral, something she couldn’t do remotely and while dealing with her grief. Helen concludes her story by saying, “I miss the beautiful views in Tennessee, but I have learned that it isn’t the distance, the view or the pace that makes running great; it is the people running by your side.��

You can use running to get closer to your kids
Andrew Todd Smith and his wife were sick and tired of the amount of time their teenage son spent playing video games. Their younger son was staring at a screen all the time, too. So they instituted a new rule for both boys: Screen time would have to be earned—via running. Each mile run would earn the boys a half hour of screen time. There was some resistance at first, but the boys came around and now they are both accomplished distance runners. And the family has a new shared activity, not only for the boys, but for their sister and parents, too.


Amy Newmark

Did you know that September is Happy Cat Month?

At Chicken Soup for the Soul we tend to celebrate cats all year long! And why not �� cats make us better people. They are our protectors, our role models, and our best friends!

Here are two of my favorite stories from our book, Chicken Soup for the Soul - Life Lessons From The Cat , with the lessons we can learn from our cats!

Accept it when something is meant to be
In the story "Journey of Love" Andi Lehman tested as allergic to pets, so her family had to give away their dog, cat, and guinea pig. Andi was devastated by the loss of her cat Grungy, who they had adopted six years earlier while stationed with the U.S. Navy in Turkey. That cat had survived many near-death accidents and travel adventures as they moved around the world with the Navy. Grungy was given to a young couple two islands away in the Florida Keys, but two weeks later, the wife called to tell them Grungy had gotten away. Months went by, and Andi mourned for her lost cat. And then one day, she stepped outside their Key West home and almost tripped over a matted, filthy, skinny cat. It was Grungy, who had walked ten miles to get home, traversing two bridges between the islands while he was at it. He was welcomed home permanently, with the only proviso that he sleep on the screened porch due to Andi’s allergies.

Taking care of yourself should come first
In her story "Speed Bump" Veronica Bowman wasn’t sure she wanted another cat, but she couldn’t stop checking one photo on the local shelter’s website. Finally, after two weeks of resisting, she and her husband went to see the cat in person. They fell in love. Veronica hadn’t thought she had time for a cat, because she had health problems and too many obligations. But that cat worked wonders. Instead of causing more stress for Veronica, the cat forced her to slow down. Now Veronica was brushing the cat’s fur every day and spending quiet time with her. Veronica concedes, “I was mistaken in thinking I didn’t need another cat. I needed help in getting my out-of-control days under control. I needed motivation to slow down and stop pushing my body beyond its limits.��


Amy Newmark

Have you ever experienced that weird, completely unexplainable situation, or the unexpected answered prayer, or how about that feeling a guardian angel must be watching over you?

If you enjoy hearing about stories like this you are going to love our new book, Chicken Soup for the Soul: Angels All Around.

The 101 miraculous stories will amaze you as you read about divine intervention, serendipitous encounters and curious coincidences.

Here are two of my favorite stories that show how our writers experienced their own miracles!

The life-saving guidance from a stranger.
In her story, "Go and Get It," Francine L. Billingslea had two things left on her to-do list after a two-week vacation: paint a wall in the family room or go for her routine mammogram. As she was telling her mother she wasn’t going to the mammogram she heard a voice telling her to go. Still ignoring it, Francine was in a gift shop next to the paint store when a stranger commented on an angel figurine Francine had picked up. She told her it was a breast-cancer angel, and then advised, “Honey, get the angel and your mammogram. You’ll be fine.�� How had the stranger known Francine was supposed to have her mammogram that day? And why did her voice sound like the same voice Francine had heard earlier that morning telling her to go? Francine went off to her mammogram and learned she had breast cancer. She went through treatment and was declared cancer-free nine years ago. And she says, “Had I not heard that voice or met that woman, I probably wouldn’t have gotten my mammogram in time.��

The helpful spirits who couldn’t have been there.
In the story, "The Pennsylvania Turnpike," Anita Stone and her husband Joe were taking their new baby to a family gathering when they got stuck in a terrible snowstorm. Cars and trucks were strewn across the snowy Pennsylvania Turnpike after numerous accidents. Joe managed to find a way off the highway and they stopped in a bar to find a place to spend the night. A man named David who was seated at the bar offered to let them stay with him and his wife at their small cabin up the road. The next day Anita and Joe found a hot breakfast waiting for them in the cabin, but their hosts were gone and they never returned during the 24 hours that Joe and Anita were stuck there waiting for the storm to end. When they finally left the cabin and drove back to the bar to learn more about their gracious hosts, the bartender told them the cabin hadn’t been occupied for three years—because the man who lived there, David, had died with his family in an accident on the Pennsylvania Turnpike three years ago.


Amy Newmark