Tiny Treasures: Tales of Courage and Hope for Children Everywhere!

By Nadine Vaughan Williams

Tiny Treasures: Tales of Courage and Hope, takes the reader on a gentle journey that warms the heart and brings a smile to the face. These tiny tales speak to children and parents of all ages, from all traditions. Based on real life events, each story addresses a different life lesson that encourages little ones to learn how to face their monsters; care for a sick loved one; and explore the question "Who am I... really?" In doing so, children learn to value those who have gone before and create a life of peace and happiness.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: May 15, 2014
• ISBN: 9781496912015

Nadine Vaughan Williams

As a shy, middle child, born into a family of eight, Nadine Vaughan Williams learned early to take flight in dreams. Like Amazon Sage, she addressed terrifying nightmares, explored other worlds, and used the dream medicine of the cougar as her spirit guide. When a young adult, Vaughan Williams traveled from her home in the Southeast to her spiritual home in northern California. There she learned to fully live, while loving her children and living off the land. Under the tutelage of Drs. Stanley Krippner and James F.T. Bugental, she became a psychologist, and reached beyond what is, to what might be. She taught college, immersed herself in theatre, then film, and traveled into the heart of the Amazon jungle. Now living on an island off the Florida coast, she writes and speaks from two worlds; science and spirit. In FireCat! mystical parts of the author’s extraordinary journey are explored.

Book preview

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Written By

NADINE VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

Illustrated By

Heather Manrique

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AuthorHouse™ LLC

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Bloomington, IN 47403

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Phone: [phone]

© 2014 Nadine Vaughan Williams. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 05/14/2014

ISBN: 978-1-4969-1231-2 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4969-1201-5 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2014908828

Cover photo by Nadine Vaughan Williams, is of an original 1971 painting by Thomas D. Roper (1952 - 2013)

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Table of Contents

Dedication

White Feather And Wise Old Woman

Charlie and the Cowardly Dream Monster

Tiger Mom and the 7th Generation

When Someone You Love is Sick…

Captain Jack and the Private Pirate

Who am I… Really?

Where is Daddy?

Part One: Mommy, Tell Me… A Story of Love and Learning

Part Two: Mommy Told Me…

Part Three: Mom, have I told you… ?

The Adventures of Engine Dave in

Train Town Amelia

Mr. Bossy and the Girl with the Sad, Sad Eyes…

Post Script

Dedication

Tiny Treasures: Tales of Courage and Hope

is dedicated to all of my children, my grandchildren, my nieces, nephews and bonus children for making my life more wondrous with your presence. I honor children everywhere and of all ages who have ever felt alone, confused or in need of a friend. I also dedicate these stories to my sisters, Marie, Annette, Carol, Mary and Cheryl; husbands; and my Mom and Dad, for being the very best Mommies and Daddies they knew how to be. I honor all who have worked to make a difference in a child’s life. It is through all of our combined efforts that we make the world a better place. To each of you, I offer this collection as a gift… from my heart to yours.

Nadine Vaughan Williams

May 23, 2014

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One

WHITE FEATHER AND WISE OLD WOMAN

One night when she was quite young, little Heather got a call from her Daddy. She did not get to see him very often so it felt like the happiest day of her life. It became even more special when Daddy asked Would you want to go with me on a trip to see lots of animals? Like the Amazon jungle? Little Heather could scarcely believe it: A trip to the Amazon Jungle! Her teacher was just talking about it at school; about how the people who live there need everyone’s help to keep their rain forest from being destroyed by big machines. She stares into space as she remembers the pictures in her mind. Suddenly, she hears Daddy’s voice, Heather? Heather, are you still there? Slowly, little Heather whispers.

Wow, Daddy, you want to take me to see animals in the Amazon jungle? I just did a project about it at school. We used your old fish tank to show something called the greenhouse effect. The teacher really liked it. What might she say if I go there in person! Even as Heather chatters excitedly, inside she feels more than a little bit scared. Ever since Mommy and Daddy sold their old house; the one she was born in; and stopped living together, anything new seems to scare her. She thinks I’ve never been to such a faraway place. I’ve never even been on an airplane before.

She senses that her Daddy is smiling when he says quietly I heard the good things your teacher said about you Heather Feather, and I am so proud of you. Daddy has called her Heather Feather ever since her Grandmother once said There is no word for Heather in our language. You are Feather and that’s the last I will hear of it. Those were the good days, before Grandma died and everything in Heather’s life changed. Her heart is warmed by hearing her Dad call her that again. Suddenly Heather laughs and announces in a loud voice: Yes! I do want to go with you! Can we go tomorrow?

Hearing all the commotion, Mommy hurries into the room. She is happy to hear Heather laughing. She is glad that Heather will get to see her Daddy. But for some reason she is not so happy about where they are going. Mommy forces a smile as she takes the phone. In a cheerful voice, she asks Heather to go into her bedroom and get ready for bed. Heather dutifully hands the phone to her mom and races from the room. As she does, she hears Mommy ask Where is it that you are planning to take her? You know she is afraid of anything new.

Heather can no longer hear her Mommy from her room and she is so excited that she can barely breathe. She takes a puff of medicine from her inhaler, opens the window, and sits next to the open window for a bit. Sometimes that helps her asthma go away. Soon, her breathing is better. However, through the window, she hears her Mommy talking to Daddy in her outdoor voice. Heather knows that when Mommy goes outside to speak to Daddy in private, things do not always turn out well. Now, Mommy’s voice is so loud that Heather can hear what she says all the way across the yard. Heather senses that Mommy’s voice is more scared than angry. She has heard the fear before and knows the difference. The last time Heather heard that voice was when Heather got so sick she had to go to the hospital.

She’s just way too little! Do you know what has been going on down there?! People are disappearing! What if she gets lost… or worse?

Upon hearing her Mommy’s words, Heather’s eyes fill with tears. She quickly pulls on her pajamas and runs over to the bed. Without even closing the window, she climbs in, gets under the covers and snuggles down into her safe haven. For some reason she feels very afraid and wants to hide. She begins to have trouble breathing again. At that moment, as if Mommy knows this, her outside voice grows softer. Sadly, Heather knows that means that Daddy probably agreed with her and the trip is cancelled. A tear slides down her face. But before it can drop to the floor a most amazing thing happens. Heather hears her Mommy say Okay, I admit I may be too over protective. But if she goes, you must promise me you will never leave her, not even for a moment.

Heather sits up straight Did I hear her say what I thought she said? She smiles and begins to take long, slow breaths. Finally, her breathing is regular again. She knows that her Mommy worries more about her breathing than anything else. The doctor named it Asthma and even though the people who live nearby call it by another name—They say it is caused by bad spirits, trying to steal her breath—Mommy believes that regardless of what causes it, the best medicine is what the doctor gives them. Grandma once said that Mommy had problems breathing too, when she was little, but Mommy says she does not remember it. Besides, she forgot what medicine they used way back then, to treat her breathing problems. Heather whispers to her little stuffed animal, Leo, I guess Mommy is just trying to teach Daddy about safety, the way she teaches us, but we know Daddy will be careful and do everything he can to keep me safe. Teasingly, she adds . . . even though Mommy once said to him, ‘You will never learn, will you?’

When the big day arrives, Heather finds out what she cannot take and is somewhat dismayed. She cannot take her big stuffed lion or her big winter coat even though it still feels cold outside. Mommy said that in the Amazon jungle, it is very hot at the end of their summer. Heather is glad that she can at least take her little lion, Leo, plus a new sun dress and her favorite blanket; the one with stars and moon pictures on it. Heather’s Mommy also gives her a little gift to take with her; a whole package of hair ties that sparkle in sunlight.

When Heather and Daddy get to the airport, Heather’s breathing races faster and faster. There are so many people and so much commotion that soon; she is struggling for air, as feels as if she might fall over. Daddy sees that and clears a space around her. Ahh… I feel calmer already, Heather rasps. She does not want her Daddy to change his mind about taking her. After all, Daddy is doing exactly as he promised: He does not leave her side, not even for a moment, all the way down to South America. Through a long and bumpy flight, he holds her hand, sings her songs, and tells her fun stories. Heather feels happy and proud to be going with her Daddy to such a special place; more like a big girl than a little one. Her breathing is good too.

However, Heather is glad when they finally get off the small plane because it bounced and rocked like a ride at the fair all the way across the Andes Mountains. Even after they ride on a crowded train and eventually settle down for the night at a little hotel in a small village, Heather smiles all the way to sleep. She knows she will have vivid dreams as she does every night. She wonders what they will be about. On this night, as she sleeps, she dreams that she is flying over the canopy treetops of the Amazon jungle and the snow-covered peaks of the Andes Mountains. She loves these dreams so much that she wants to keep dreaming even when it is time to wake up. Finally Daddy yells Up and at em! and remembering where they are, Heather happily jumps up and puts on her pretty sun dress. Then she wraps her moon and stars blanket around her shoulders.

When she walks outside on her first day in a little town called Iquitos, much to her surprise, Heather feels strange. People look at her as if she just flew in from outer space. You see, even though Heather’s Mommy has very dark hair and eyes, and her Grandfather has ruddy colored skin, little Heather’s skin and hair are light like her Daddy’s. Heather’s hair is also not as thick as that of the darker skinned children of the village. Of course, none of that matters to Heather. Like her Daddy, Heather is used to these differences but the people in this part of the world are not. They point and laugh, as they call her Gringa.

At first Heather laughs too when she sees people’s stares and puzzled looks but when they call her Little Angel and try to pull out some of her hair, she pulls away and begins to feel very afraid. Ouch! Heather cries. You’re hurting me. Of course, the people do not want to hurt little Heather. They think she really is an angel and they just want to take something of her with them. Because Heather and her Daddy do not want to insult these people whom they have just met, Daddy lifts Heather high up on his shoulders and covers her with her favorite blanket. What a sight that is! Because Heather’s Daddy is much taller than the Daddies in their town, and he is made even taller by a blanket-covered Heather, some people think he is some kind of Yeti or Big Foot creature! This trip is not turning out the way Heather or Daddy had hoped. Heather is glad when she and Daddy finally leave the bustling little town and board an old boat for the long ride up the Amazon River. They are going to what Daddy calls his base camp.

Hours later, deep in the jungle, Heather is in for even more surprises. There are no bathrooms, no kitchens, and not even running water. They sleep on a bed filled with moss, in a small cabin that looks like it was made from very big chopped-off matches sticking out of the ground. Each of the long, thin sticks is connected to another match and the whole thing is covered with vines! Unlike her own home in the States, one of the sides of the cabin has no wall at all, but rather a thick mosquito screen to let light in and keep bugs out.

Heather laughs when she sees it. However, that night when she hears something climbing around in there, besides her Daddy and herself, she feels a tear roll down her face and she knows her breathing is getting tight again. She wishes Mommy was here to cuddle her and whispers Daddy, maybe Mommy is right. Maybe I’m not big enough yet.

To make matters