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Dance with Your Heart! Inspiration from Child Prodigy Shirley Cheng, Author, Poet, Speaker, Advocate
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A happy July to you! This is the first summer issue (at least, it's summer here in NY!) of Inspiration from a Blind brought to you monthly by www.ShirleyCheng.com !
Have you ever wondered where evil came from? Did God create evil?
No, of course not; Jehovah did not create evil itself; evil results only when His principles are not followed. Evil is simply the absence of goodness, just as darkness is the absence of light.
Long before Jehovah created Earth and humankind, He created spirit beings known as angels who lived with Him in the spiritual realm where He calls home. He gave angels the freedom to make their own decisions, the same kind of free will He has given to us. One of the angels, who is known as Satan the opposer, abused His gift and chose to rebel against Him. Subsequently, other ... |
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A warm hello from Inspiration from a Blind brought to you monthly by www.ShirleyCheng.com !
"Why do good people have to suffer?" is something I hear from time to time, and I am sure that you have heard similar complaints, or perhaps you, yourself, have uttered the very question. It does seem that so many innocent people suffer on a daily bases. There are the starving children in Africa and abused women behind closed doors, and let us not forget the sickly trapped on their hospital beds.
Yet, when people use the word "good," I'd have to raise an eyebrow. How do we actually define "good" people? Who are considered "good"? I know plenty of "good" people who tell lies, cheat on their school exams, break promises, and use curse words in everyday speeches. On the other hand, I've heard about "bad" people who are wonderful ... |
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A warm hello from Inspiration from a Blind brought to you monthly by www.ShirleyCheng.com !
Last month, I said, "Everything passes, and so will your current negative situation. When you are angry or upset, keep in mind that it will pass, so why waste your energy on something that will be gone tomorrow?"
When you read that, you probably thought, "Wait a minute, does every negative situation really pass? Did your blindness pass?" If that was your line of thoughts, you are not alone—I've had some people bring up similar points.
Certainly, my blindness has not passed, nor have my physical disabilities. The severe juvenile rheumatoid arthritis I've had since infancy will be with me for the rest of my life.
So what did I mean when I say everything will pass when I know that not everything will pass in our current lifetime? ... |
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Hello from Inspiration from a Blind brought to you monthly by www.ShirleyCheng.com !
Life is full of obstacles and challenges; you would be fooling yourself to think otherwise. What can you do when an obstacle bumps into you? Take the following steps to overcome it next time.
• Calm down so you can focus on what you want to achieve. Your problem requires more attention than your emotions, so give it the spotlight it deserves by putting your emotions aside. Focus your energy on how to improve your situation, not on how you are reacting to it.
When I lost my eyesight at the age of seventeen, I first focused on making the most out of my situation and moving forward. I did not involve any negative emotions. I knew that it was not the end of my life, and that being miserable ... |
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Embrace Ultra-Ability! Wins Twelfth Book Award
"Embrace Ultra-Ability! Wisdom, Insight & Motivation from the Blind Who Sees Far and Wide" by Shirley Cheng, 26-year-old blind and physically disabled award-winning author and motivational speaker, has been named among the winning titles of 2008 Reader Views Annual Literary Awards. The book won Honorable Mention for Body/Mind/Spirit, making it Cheng's twentieth book award.
"I'm absolutely honored and thrilled to have such great honor bestowed upon me," said Cheng.
Prior to receiving this award, Embrace Ultra-Ability! won eleven other awards:
• Nine Parent to Parent Adding Wisdom Awards
• National Best Books 2008 Awards Finalist
• 2008 Next Generation Indie Book Awards Finalist
Shirley Cheng (b. 1983), a blind and physically disabled award-winning author (with twenty awards, including nine Parent to Parent Adding Wisdom Awards), motivational speaker, self-empowerment expert, poet, author and contributor to 25 books, has ... |
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Hello from Inspiration from a Blind brought to you monthly by www.ShirleyCheng.com ! You are receiving this because you have personally signed up for it.
What book was most influential in your life?
When I was asked of this, many of the 2,000 titles I've ever read swam through my head at lightning speed, yet my heart instantly singled out one among them. It's an all-time runaway international best seller, translated into over 2,400 languages. Not a single book has ever come close into matching its number of copies sold or freely distributed, nor has any book been ever studied, discussed, assimilated, criticized, loved, or hated, as much. No wonder, for I know it's a masterpiece that has not only greatly influenced my life but is the cornerstone of every person, past, present, and future.
The book is like a history textbook, when studied ... |
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Greetings from Inspiration from a Blind, the newsletter for those who want to be spiritually ultra-abled, brought to you monthly by www.ShirleyCheng.com !
What comes before a successful businessman, a successful doctor, or a successful teacher? A successful human being.
In order to be truly successful in life, you need to first establish three essential spiritual principles—your core values, gratitude, and faith—and these gems will help you create a successful you.
Values
What qualities do you hold highest? What traits do you want to have and be associated with? Think of what qualities are important to you, and then hold firm to them. Your values are what you will base your life's decisions on, and they will guide you in the right paths in life. two plus two equals four. If you think that two plus two equals everything and anything, you are bound to ... |
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Shirley Cheng, 25-year-old blind and physically disabled award-winning author and motivational speaker, has been named 2009 Silver Recipient of the prestigious Mom's Choice Awards® for her book Waking Spirit: Prose & Poems the Spirit Sings, in the Inspirational/Motivational category.
"I'm absolutely honored and thrilled to have such great honor bestowed upon me," said Cheng.
Prior to receiving this award, Waking Spirit won seven other words:
• Best books in Reader Views 2007 Literary Awards: First Place in Poetry, Second Place in Inspirational/Spiritual, and Second Place in New Age Non-Fiction
• The Avatar Award for Excellence in Spiritual Literature
• Finalist - National Indie Excellence 2007 Book Awards
• Honorable Mention - 2007 New York Book Festival
• 2007 DIY Book Festival
"This book is an amazing read by an amazing person." -ForeWord Magazine CLARION Reviews
"An inspirational miscellany from one of the braver souls ... |
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Happy New Year 2009! A joyous greeting from Inspiration from a Blind, the newsletter for those who want to be spiritually ultra-abled, brought to you monthly by www.ShirleyCheng.com !
Do you believe in God?
If you answered "Yes," your answer would match about half of the human population, because Christians, Muslims, and Jews, all believe in the same God, Jehovah (though Muslims use the name Allah for God).
While I do not doubt their belief (or how strong it is), I do therefore have to wonder: why are we experiencing so many manmade problems in life?
What does believing in God mean? Many would say that it is accepting that God exists and that He is the Creator of everything. Period.
If that is the case, then let us put Satan under the spotlight. Do you not agree with me that he is a ... |
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Blind, Disabled Author Wins Parent to Parent Adding Wisdom Award™ in Five Categories
Shirley Cheng, a blind and physically disabled 25-year-old author, has garnished the prestigious Parent to Parent Adding Wisdom Award™ in five categories for her book, "Embrace Ultra-Ability! Wisdom, Insight & Motivation from the Blind Who Sees Far and Wide." The five categories are Adult Health & Well-being, Books - Inspirational/Christian, Gifts For Mom, Gifts For Dad, and Unique Products.
Established in 1998 by award-winning syndicated family/health columnist and bestselling author, Jodie Lynn, one of whose contributed books was featured on Oprah, the Parent to Parent Adding Wisdom Award honors products and websites of outstanding quality that support and help families and children grow ethically, socially, intellectually, emotionally, and physically.
"Embrace Ultra-Ability!" is also a finalist in both the National Best Books 2008 Awards in the Philosophy category and the 2008 Next Generation ... |
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Happy Holidays! A jolly greeting from Inspiration from a Blind, brought to you monthly always on time by www.ShirleyCheng.com !
History's Miraculous Birth
One day, over two thousand years ago, God's great messenger, angel Gabriel, visited a home in the city of Nazareth, where Mary, who was a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, lived.
The angel greeted her and announced, "Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favor with God. And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Most High: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end." (Luke 1:30-33)
Imagine Mary's shock when ... |
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Greetings! Welcome to another issue of Inspiration from a Blind, brought to you by www.ShirleyCheng.com !
Once upon a time, Jehovah created a paradise garden on the newly formed Earth, and in it, He created two people, and told them to be fruitful and multiply and be the masters over the Earth and all the living creatures of the skies, lands, and oceans. His purpose therefore was to fill the paradise with many, many happy people, who had everything they ever wanted—all without laboring or pains.
Yet, the people Adam and Eve deliberately (stupidly, I must add) disobeyed God by taking a route independent from Jehovah's loving guidance. Like rebellion teenagers, they thought they would be in much more freedom, but in reality, they lost freedom, just as if teenagers who choose to do drugs and smoke but ended up harming themselves. In return, They got much ... |
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Shirley Cheng, a blind and physically disabled 25-year-old author, has been named a finalist in the national 2008 USA Best Books in the Philosophy category for one of her most recent books, "Embrace Ultra-Ability! Wisdom, Insight & Motivation from the Blind Who Sees Far and Wide."
Simon & Schuster, Tarcher/Penguin, HarperCollins, Hyperion, St. Martin's Press, McGraw- Hill, and John Wiley & Sons, are some of the publishers whose Titles are among the winners.
"After winning nine book awards, what else is there to say? How could I possibly describe how I feel write now? But don't be surprised if you see me dancing on a cloud," says Cheng.
"Embrace Ultra-Ability!" has received many rave reviews, including from Kirkus Discoveries and ForeWord Magazine Clarion Reviews.
"If there is ever to be a poster person for people with ultra-abilities, it would have to be twenty-four-year-old Shirley ... |
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Greetings! Welcome to another issue of Inspiration from a Blind, brought to you by www.ShirleyCheng.com !
When we see a beautiful painting, we know an intelligent painter is behind the masterpiece. When we see a brick house, we know builders have built it. And when we talk on the phone, we are grateful for its invention.
But when we see a blossoming rose, a rainbow after a refreshing rain, and the soaring eagles amid blue skies, why do many of us deny a Creator of these magnificence?
Do these wonders far surpass the inventions us mere humans have created? Therefore, how could these fine-tuned creations, from the smallest bacteria to the gigantic universe, have come into existence on their own by chance? How could have they thrived and continue to flourish? How could they come in such multitude of kinds, and each kind reproducing after its ... |
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Greetings! Welcome to another issue of Inspiration from a Blind, brought to you by the one and only www.ShirleyCheng.com !
The big fish eats the small fish, the small fish eats the weak fish, and the weak fish eats the ill fish.
What am I referring to? No, I'm not talking about the food chain. This is what I call the bullying chain.
I am pretty sure, like me, you have witnessed the big guy bullying the small guy as the small guys does nothing to defend himself. Yet, the small guy turns around and bullies the weak guy. Like the small guy who didn't defend himself, the weak guy quivers with fear. But the next day, the weak guy becomes as much as a bully as the small guy when he meets an ill guy, who becomes this weak guy's victim.
Bullying is everywhere,—from ... |
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A big hello! Welcome to another issue of Inspiration from a Blind, brought to you by the one and only www.ShirleyCheng.com !
Of all your achievements, what are you most proud of?
That was what a reporter wanted to know while she interviewed me for a newspaper feature. Surprisingly, I believe it was the first time that someone posed that question, so I was, at first, lost for an answer.
All the major accomplishments I've achieved in my twenty-five years swam through my head in lightning speed. Which is my proudest achievement?
I could tell her that I was most proud of mastering grade level and a foreign language (English) after only about 180 days of school attendance. You see, owing to years of hospitalization for severe juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, I didn't receive education until age eleven, when I attended school for the first time ... |
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A warm hello! Welcome to another issue of Inspiration from a Blind, brought to you by the one-of-a-kind www.ShirleyCheng.com !
Apologies, folks, my laptop had gone haywire for the past two weeks, so I hadn't been able to send this issue off. So sorry about the late issue, but late is definitely better than nothing. Plus, my newsletter is worth the wait, right? So with no further delay, here you go, and enjoy!
Do you forgive and forget? Or do you forgive and remember?
Forgive and forget—that is what they all suggest. But I recommend that you forgive yet remember. "But isn't that paradoxical?" you may think. Well, let us carefully think about it.
Some people will forget what wrong others did to them, thus automatically forgiving them. How can you not forgive when you forgot all about it in the first place?
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| A splendiferous hello! Welcome to another issue of Inspiration from a Blind, brought to you by the one and only www.ShirleyCheng.com!
Last month, I talked about the importance of listening to your parents; in this issue, I would like to focus on parental rights, specifically the lack of parental rights in children's medical care in the United States. This serious issue has affected my mother's and my lives in a horrifying way, and July 13 will mark the 18th anniversary of the day I was snatched away from my mother for the second time only after she bravely stood by my side.
Did you know that in America, parents risk losing custody of their children forever if they disagree with doctors' recommended treatments or even when they want a second opinion?
This nightmare has happened to multitude of parents and children, especially in the past decades. Below is what happened to Tina Phifer when she only wanted her daughter to receive the best treatment for her disease.
Tina Phifer, a New York City accountant and single mother, lost custody of her nine-year-old daughter, Amkia, and all visitation and contact rights, when she wanted to seek a second opinion for her daughter's treatment. She disagreed with doctors at Montefiore Hospital over the correct course of treatment for Amkia's gastrointestinal condition, which was first diagnosed as anemia, then as irritable bowel disease, then finally as ulcerative colitis.
Amkia's health deteriorated only after doctors began treating her with drugs she could not tolerate. Tina wanted to take Amkia to see other doctors, but the hospital promptly charged her with medical neglect. Tina said that for blood drawings, they had student interns who could not find veins and would stick her daughter four times, damaging her arms. She informed the hospital that Amkia was allergic to Amoxicillin in the past, but they still administered it to her.
The court ordered that all communication between mother and daughter be audible to the social worker monitoring their weekly one-hour visits; she lost visitation and contact rights when she violated the order.
Before the custody loss, Tina had taken Amkia to three different specialists in late 1996 and early 1997 to find the right diagnosis. Tina was also accused of "educational neglect" because she homeschooled Amkia, even though her education has been tested to be superior than other children her age.
Amkia had lived in six foster homes in two years, among rats and roaches. After two years of the living nightmare, she was finally allowed to live with her mother again on a trial basis, but had to receive biweekly visits from child protection authorities.
The above case is an example of an average case. There have been some farfetched cases, such as the one below (but aren't all cases where parents are forced to give their consent for unwanted treatments farfetched?).
One February day in 2000, five-year-old Anthony Mitchell accidentally stepped on a nail playing with his brother. Anthony's mom, Pam Anderson, took him to the emergency room at Terre Haute's Union Hospital. While there, a mix-up of words led to the forced treatment of a negative disease. Anthony called the nail a needle, prompting the doctor to give him a dose of AZT, the DNA-chain terminator widely prescribed as an anti-AIDS drug, without performing any test, and called CPS. The doctor automatically thought that since they are black, they were using drugs (black-needle-drug-AIDS). Pam heard the doctor saying the f-word when he realized he had made a mistake, after speaking to the child's father over the telephone, but did not withdraw his diagnosis or treatment plan.
Child Protective Services (CPS) decided that Anthony should keep taking AZT, just in case he had stepped on an AIDS-infected needle, and ordered Pam to take Anthony to see a doctor at a clinic to see how he was doing on the medicine. Pam took her son to the clinic but did not put him on the drug. CPS called her, and armed police with dogs surrounded Pam's mother's house. Pam then got in touch with Deane Collie, executive director of Coalition for Medical Justice, who spoke with CPS. CPS then dropped the case, but warned that if Anthony were to come back with a positive HIV test within the next twelve months, Pam would be charged with felony criminal intent to harm.
Patients already have more than enough to deal with. It hurts parents a great deal when their children are suffering from illnesses. Snatching their flesh and blood away from them at such times is cruel, ruthless, and heartless.
"We want to protect the children's interest; since children cannot defend themselves, we have to speak for them.," is the #1 defense doctors, social workers, and the state have for taking away parental rights.
Well, then I would like to know: how would they know what children want when children do not have the right to speak out? How would they know they are speaking for them and defending them? During my mother's custody case in 1990, absolutely not a single person from the side who took me away from my mom's loving arms ever asked me what I wanted. I did not want the surgery from the start, but who listened?
Of all the cases I have read so far, not a single child had the right to pose their own opinions, not even those minors who were sixteen and seventeen at the time of dispute!
Parents have no right to say no, children have no voice to say no, and strangers have the right to say yes for them. What is wrong with this picture?
If you support my cause, please by all means sign my "Give Parents the Right to Say No" petition at: www.petitiononline.com/parentr7/petition.html
Please pass the petition on to anyone you know! Parents and children need all the support they can get. By uniting our power, we can move mountains.
This could happen to you or someone you love. Prevent another case from happening by signing my petition.
In my advocacy book, "Parental Rights in Children's Medical Care: Where Is Our Freedom to Say No? A Look at the Injustice of the American Medical System," I have included some of the common arguments to my issue, and I am pasting a few below.
1) We can't let children suffer for their parents' poor choices.
Are children not the victims of martyrdom when doctors force treatments on them?
2) Doctors are more qualified than parents to make medical decisions.
Out of the one hundred doctors graduating from the same class with the same degree, ten percent may be excellent doctors; seventy percent may be average skilled; and the rest of them may be not that smart at all. All one hundred of those doctors are well-educated, holding the same degree from the same college. Should we listen to all of them? Do all of them know best? Plus, as every individual is different, each doctor is different, so will recommend different treatment for the same disease.
3) Doctors are human, too; they can make errors in judgment.
So you would call forcing unwanted or unnecessary—and sometimes harmful—treatments on children a mistake? You would call forcing a parent to give his or her legal consent a mistake, too? And I suppose opposing a parent's disagreement is a mistake as well. Well, even if they are mistakes, what do you think these mistakes cost parents and children? What if my mother had lost custody of me the first time?
I wrote the advocacy book not to vent about what happened to my mother and me personally, but for the entire American society to 1) make parents aware of the problems that could affect them and warn them of the legal consequences if they disagree with a medically recommended treatment, 2) to advocate for parents, and finally, 3) to put an end to this crime against humanity.
When doctors ask yes or no, parents should have the right to say no.
I repeat, this nightmare can strike anyone. It could be you on your next visit to your child's doctor, it could be your loved ones, or your neighbor.
Grab an autographed copy of my book at www.shirleycheng.com
Shirley's Corner
On a lighter side—actually, on a very sparkling side—I have been notified that my book, "Embrace Ultra-Ability! Wisdom, Insight & Motivation from the Blind Who Sees Far and Wide" has been placed as a finalist in the 2008 Next Generation Indie Book Awards in the Motivational category! After winning eight awards, I am practically left speechless. What else is there to say? What words could possibly describe how I feel right now?
As you know, this book has received many rave reviews (and more are to come, I'm sure), and here are a couple of them:
Review by Dr. Paul A. Johnson, Ph.D., Clinical & Consulting Psychologist:
"Shirley Cheng is new to my awareness and very unique, to say the least! This young lady has not only accepted, but embraced her physical handicaps in a way that gives hope and inspiration to all of us human beings. Her book, Embrace Ultra-Ability, is filled with wise, practical, and eminently usable advice and guidance that can be utilized as a whole, or in discrete segments, depending upon the reader's needs and situation. Everything Shirley talks about has a backdrop of deep spirituality and strong ethics, which convinces anyone who reads her carefully, that here is a person who works every hour of every day to practice her faith, to celebrate her blessings, and to constantly resist falling into self-pity or bitterness. This is an inspiring book and can be used daily by most readers to keep their spirits uplifted and their love of life, reinforced!"
Review by Ann Heizer, Functional Fitness Expert:
"Embrace Ultra-Ability! by Shirley Cheng was such a joy to read, and feel Cheng's energy, wisdom and insight for this life we have to live.
Cheng is such an inspiration to so many people through her forthright way of truthful communication —lovingly describing what we face and how to respond. The dance of life has so many melodies and she have found the words
for us to hear the music and really dance.
Cheng's techniques focusing on faith, love and gratitude are so pure and simple that they speak to the very soul of a person. This allows us to learn by experience and become more conscious every moment.
I especially loved the language in which Cheng wrote and it almost felt like she was talking to me as I read it.
This is a book everyone needs to have in their collection —to review often and be inspired every time!"
Denise Mistich invited me to submit my personal testimony on how God has affected my life, and I am honored that she has posted it on her site to share it with you: www.spiritual-health-source.com/christian-authors2.html
If you are a Christian writer and would like to share your own story, you may do so on that page.
This is all for the June issue. Until July warmly pokes its head through our windows, I wish you much peace, happiness, love, and justice in your life; and may you share all those goodies with others. You can start spreading good now by signing my petition at:
www.petitiononline.com/parentr7/petition.html
Thank you in advance, and best wishes always!
Content Copyright by Shirley Cheng; All rights reserved
You are permitted to only give out or link to this website or post; all other distribution and copying is prohibited without the prior written permission of Shirley Cheng. Contact Shirley at www.shirleycheng.com
Did you get this from a friend's forward and would like to subscribe? Then send a blank e-mail to subscribe@shirleycheng.com from the e-mail address you'd like to sign up under.
Read previous issues of Inspiration from a Blind at blog.shirleycheng.com
Best regards,
Shirley Cheng
Award-Winning Author
Miracle survivor, inspiring author and contributing author of seventeen books by age 24, poet, motivational speaker, self-empowerment expert, advocate, and a co-author in the bestselling Wake Up...Live the Life You Love book series
Board member of World Positive Thinkers Club
http://www.shirleycheng.com
Having a bad day? Then meet Shirley Cheng, A.K.A. the modern day Helen Keller, to inspire, empower, and motivate you to go for the gold medal in life!
"Although I'm blind, I can see far and wide; even though I'm disabled, I can climb high mountains. Let the ropes of hope haul you high!"
Sign up to Inspiration from a Blind newsletter by sending an e-mail to: subscribe@shirleycheng.com
Please sign the Parental Rights in Children's Medical Care: Give Parents the Right to Say No Petition:
http://www.petitiononline.com/parentr7/petition.html
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Shirley Cheng, a blind and physically disabled 25-year-old author, has been named a finalist in the 2008 Next Generation Indie Book Awards
in the Motivational category for her new book, "Embrace Ultra-Ability! Wisdom, Insight & Motivation from the Blind Who Sees Far and Wide."
"After winning eight awards, what else is there to say? How could I possibly describe how I feel write now? But don't be surprised if you see me dancing on a cloud," says Cheng.
"Embrace Ultra-Ability!" has received many rave reviews, including from Kirkus Discoveries and ForeWord Magazine Clarion Reviews.
"If there is ever to be a poster person for people with ultra-abilities, it would have to be twenty-four-year-old Shirley Cheng. ...(a) power-packed guide...full of sage advice, helpful exercises,
common sense analyses...tough love prescriptions..." -ForeWord CLARION Reviews
"(Written) with verve and conviction...ever cutting to the chase." -Kirkus Discoveries
"...filled ...
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| Good day to you! Welcome to another issue of Inspiration from a Blind, brought to you monthly by www.ShirleyCheng.com !
Once upon a time, a man built a breathtakingly stunning palace. Surrounding the palace, he planted plants of all colors, textures, and sizes; many of them were fit to be eaten. He also introduced many animals to the land; animals of all imaginable kinds, yet none was dangerous. They freely roamed about the green, rolling land that was dotted with tall trees, providing shady spots for any passersby. The man had built the great palace for the children he will have, who would inherit the palace and the land. He imagined his children playing in this land, running around hither and thither, in and out about the palace.
By and by, the man had children, who indeed inherited the land. The man could not help but smile whenever he watched them play about. His heart and soul were filled with immeasurable joy when he pictured the children of his children inhabiting the land and enjoying all that it had to offer.
One day, he could not find one of his children, so he asked the rest where the child was, but did not receive any definite answer. Soon, he was shocked to find the dead body of the lost child, and found out he was murdered by his own siblings. He was more than horrified; and anger was not absent. He detested evil. He had especially carefully taught his children well. How could something so vile have happened? Despair soon replaced his anger. He knew that his children did not love him as they had claimed; they would not have done this if they truly loved him.
Does this story sound familiar?
Okay, so this is not the best adaptation of God's magnificent creation story, but that is all right since it is just my intention to illustrate why it is important to listen to your parents. There are many reasons why we should pay attention to our parents, but I am just going to cover the three top reasons.
1. Returning your parents' love. The number one reason why it is a good idea to pay heed to what your parents say is to show that you love them in return. I have heard people posing the question, "Why was God so terribly angry in the Old Testament?" Well, let me ask you this: Would you not be upset if your children constantly do things that are downright evil after you have told them what not to do over and over and over again? Only an uncaring parent would not mind what bad things their children do. So God was truly loving when He got angry at His creations' wrongdoing. Above all, it showed that His children did not care about His feelings; they did not love Him back after He had so painstakingly created them after His own spiritual image. So show that you love your parents back by obeying their wishes.
2. It is best for you. God created us human beings, so He obviously knows what is best for us, yet countless people since the beginning of our kind have not followed His advice. Parents, who took care of us ever since we were tiny, helpless babies, know what is best for us, yet not many of us like to listen to our parents. I agree that we cannot agree to everything our parents tell us, but it is essential to think carefully about the large issues, the most important things in our lives. If parents tell us that smoking is bad for our health, then we should consider their warning before sticking a deadly cigarette into our mouths. It is best for you.
3. You receive support. When we listen to people's advice, we are being supported at the same time. Talking with and receiving insights from your parents will not only help you live a better life but will strengthen the bond between you and your parents. If all human beings listen to God's loving words, imagine what a beautiful world this would have been for each and every one of us! Even now, having God close to our hearts and doing what He loves, bring us spiritually closer to Him. Personally, it makes me very happy when I pay attention to His words in the Bible. It gives me a sense of security and support, as I know I am doing what is best for me, that whatever I am doing could not be wrong since it has been laid by the most supreme being ever, and above all, that I am not alone—I have Him to guide me.
Parents should be their children's best source of support. My mom is my #1 confidant and best friend. No one, except God, can take her place. When I listen to her, it means I love her, I trust her, and I won't feel alone to deal with things on my own.
It is true that not all parents' advice are right, but we should at least consider them instead of turning away from them immediately. It is up to your value system and judgment to judge whether what your parents tell you is good or bad. If you need guidance, flip through the Bible. Who could give better advice than the Parent of all parents?
Shirley's Corner
I have happy news to share with you this month! (But don't I always?)
I received my copies of the Vietnamese edition of my book, "Dance with Your Heart," straight from Vietnam, and oh my, are they beautiful or what! My mother and I were delighted to discover that between their pages, beautiful illustrations accompany my poems, fairy tales, fables, and myths. I am absolutely thrilled to say that some copies (out of my original fifty copies) have been donated to the Art Club for Disabled Children in Hanoi. The chairwoman of the club said that each tale will be read to the children every Sunday evening.
The book, which is published by Women Publishing House for the non-profit market for low-income families and schools and with an initial print run of 1,500 copies, is already receiving great feedback. A woman wrote this to my translator Nguyen Bich Lan: "Last night I had difficulty making my daughter go to bed on time because she entreated me to let her finish the tale 'Blooming Hope'. I myself like the book very much. The words she used are so pure, emotive. I like the fables most. They bring the useful lessons which are easily absorbed. The way you translated the tales and poems is so impressive that I forget that I am reading a literary book written in a foreign language."
I mentioned previously that I will take autographed copies for the book, and now I am keeping my word, but for only THREE copies. Yes, I am only making three of the ten copies I received available for ordering because I want to keep the rest for myself (can you blame me?). The three copies will be available on a first come, first serve basis, so if you or a friend can read Vietnamese, grab a copy quick by simply going to my site www.shirleycheng.com
In March, journalist Vu Anh Tuan wrote an article about our story—Nguyen Bich Lan's and mine—and the full-page article (yes, full page!) was published in Tien Phong Chu Nhat (Pioneer Sunday), Vietnamese's largest newspaper for youths. The news story, which is titled "'Dance with Your Heart' and the Two Girls Who Live in Two Different Hemispheres," can be found at (if the link is still live) www.tienphong.vn/Tianyon/Index.aspx?ArticleID=115906&ChannelID=7
Gnuyen Bich Lan is a marvelous person. Born and raised in a small village in Thai Binh, Vietnam, Bich was chosen for a class for gifted children with very good skills in literature. Before stopping her schooling at the age of 14 because of muscular dystrophy, she knew no English. Despite her bad health, she spent almost her time teaching herself English and reading a lot. Four years later she began giving English lessons to children in her area. Now in her early thirties, she has had more than two hundred pupils, eight of whom have gone on to become teachers of English. She is the translator of ten compelling books, including "From the Nile to the Jordan" and "A Thousand Faces of Night." Bich says she herself chooses which books to translate.
You know that one of my personal quotes is: "Although I'm blind, I can see far and wide; even though I'm disabled, I can climb high mountains." Well, a lady brought my attention to Blindsight, a fascinating film based on a true story that gives a new literal meaning to my motto. The documentary is about a German woman, Sabriya Tenberken, who lost her eyesight at age twelve. Her interest in Tibetan and Chinese culture brought her to opening Braille Without Borders, a school for the blind in Tibet (where blind children are not allowed to attend school because they think blind people are demon-possessed). By and by, she got in touch with a blind mountaineer, Erik Weihenmayer, who is the only blind person to have climbed the tallest mountains on each continent. The film is of the amazing team of Erik, Sabriya, and six of her blind, Tibetan teenaged students as they climb Lakpari which is on the north side of Mt. Everest. Each of the blind people traveled with a sighted climber/guide. Sabriya has been deservedly nominated for the Nobel Prize—I hope she wins it! Learn more about the film at www.blindsightthemovie.com/
Life coach Nickolove Lovemore, who interviewed me back in February, interviewed Jennifer Mannion, author of "How I Used the Law of Attraction to Heal Myself from Chronic Pain," and I thought I would share with you the interview recording because Jennifer's story is quite remarkable, and may benefit you or someone you know who is suffering from chronic pain. For nearly ten years, she suffered from chronic and debilitating illnesses, and amazingly, she was able to almost completely heal herself in a few short weeks using Law of Attraction. This story demonstrates the powers of gratitude and positive thinking. To listen to this interview, go to instantTeleseminar.com/?eventid=2512911
I have released another new book, "Parental Rights in Children's Medical Care: Where Is Our Freedom to Say No? A Look at the Injustice of the American Medical System," and I will talk more about it in my next issue, so stay tuned!
Until next month, remember—when you need guidance, seek your parents; when you need even more guidance, seek your Heavenly Father.
Best wishes always!
Content Copyright by Shirley Cheng; All rights reserved
You are permitted to only give out or link to this website or post; all other distribution and copying is prohibited without the prior written permission of Shirley Cheng. Contact Shirley at www.shirleycheng.com
Did you get this from a friend's forward and would like to subscribe? Then send a blank e-mail to subscribe@shirleycheng.com from the e-mail address you'd like to sign up under.
Read previous issues of Inspiration from a Blind at blog.shirleycheng.com
Best regards,
Shirley Cheng
Award-Winning Author
Miracle survivor, inspiring author and contributing author of seventeen books by age 24, poet, motivational speaker, self-empowerment expert, advocate, and a co-author in the bestselling Wake Up...Live the Life You Love book series
Board member of World Positive Thinkers Club
http://www.shirleycheng.com
Having a bad day? Then meet Shirley Cheng, A.K.A. the modern day Helen Keller, to inspire, empower, and motivate you to go for the gold medal in life!
"Although I'm blind, I can see far and wide; even though I'm disabled, I can climb high mountains. Let the ropes of hope haul you high!"
Sign up to Inspiration from a Blind newsletter by sending an e-mail to: subscribe@shirleycheng.com
Please sign the Parental Rights in Children's Medical Care: Give Parents the Right to Say No Petition:
http://www.petitiononline.com/parentr7/petition.html
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Happy greetings from Inspiration from a Blind, brought to you monthly by www.ShirleyCheng.com !
A man named Jordan has two good friends, Jim and Bruce. One day, he called both of them over and asked them to help him with some carpentry work for the following month. Both of them gladly said yes
and that they would do a great job. When the day arrived, both friends showed up as promised. But by the end of the day, Jordan and Bruce wound up doing most of the work, even cleaning after the mess
Jim made.
There was a man, Steven, who constantly told his wife, Judy, how much he loved her and how beautiful she was, while the man of their neighboring couple, Tom, rarely said "I love you," to his wife,
Julie, yet both pairs seemed happily married. One day, Judy got extremely ill and had ...
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Shirley Cheng, a blind and physically disabled award-winning author, has been announced a winner in three categories of the 2007 Reader Views Literary Awards for her multi-award-winning
book, Waking Spirit: Prose & Poems the Spirit Sings. Cheng's placement in the contest includes First Place in Poetry Nonfiction, and Second Place in both Spirituality/Inspiration and New Age
Nonfiction.
"I am absolutely speechless with elation," says Cheng. "I ran out of things to say after receiving one award after another. But what I can never say enough is that I am absolutely honored and
delighted. I must thank Reader Views for bestowing this honor upon Waking Spirit and rewarding me for what I love to do, and that is bringing humor, hope, and healing to as many people as I possibly
can."
"Reader Views reviews more than 2,000 books per year from budding authors who have worked hard to achieve ...
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Waking Spirit: Prose & Poems the Spirit Sings, the fourth book written by blind and physically disabled award-winning author Shirley Cheng, has received The Avatar Award for spiritual
excellence, the fourth award for this book. The Avatar Award is an award given to spiritual resources of exceptional quality and clarity. It is given to those writers, authors, musicians, editors,
etc. who have displayed excellence, clarity, and a non-compromising stance when assisting in humanity's spiritual awakening. The award is presented by Avatar Publications, in association with "ALL
THINGS THAT MATTER," a blog devoted to exploring issues that confront today's society. The selection committee is comprised of experts in the field of spirituality and spiritual awakening including
authors, publishers, and academic professionals.
"I am greatly humbled, absolutely honored and delighted to win The Avatar Award," says Cheng. "I've made it one of my life's missions to touch as many people as ...
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A big hello from Inspiration from a Blind, brought to you monthly by www.ShirleyCheng.com!
What is the most precious gift you have ever received? No, it is not that BMW or that diamond necklace. Think again. Read below to see what is my most precious gift, and you will know what yours is.
Yes, we have the same precious gift, though each of our gift is unique from the others'.
I was lucky enough to have met a kind lady over the Internet. Her name is Beth Tabak, and she is a business and life coach. I was honored and delighted when she featured me in her newsletter; and
below, I have included the interview portion. You may visit her website at www.StartingNowCoaching.com to know more about the good things she does and
brings to others.
Q: What went through your mind as you encountered ...
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A loving greeting from Inspiration from a Blind, brought to you monthly by www.ShirleyCheng.com!
How helpful are you? Let us find out by first asking: why do you help others? There are mainly two kind of helpers: one group helps because they truly enjoy helping for the sake of helping, while the
other seeks help or some kind of benefit in return.
Let me focus on the ladder group first. People love win-win situations (trust me, I do, too), where one helps the other to get something in return, such as in a joint venture. While it is perfectly
fine in a business situation, always expecting rewards when you help others is not the way to go. But still, even in a strictly business setting, it does not hurt to help out.
And there are those who absolutely enjoy helping others. They ask for nothing in ...
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For the third year in a row, blind and physically disabled 24-year-old author Shirley Cheng is one of the winners in Be the Star You Are!
National Essay Contest, this time receiving Honorable Mention for her heartfelt piece, My Mother: A Fighter, a Victor, a Lover, which applauds her stellar mother Juliet Cheng for being a
courageous and loving fighter to protect her life at all costs.
"My beloved mother Juliet Cheng is a fighter, a victor, but above all, she is a lover. I am darn proud to have her as my mother," is how Cheng starts her winning entry. "Since I am severely
physically disabled with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, my mother has not only stood up for me countless times, but she has also saved my life on numerous occasions."
"What can I possibly say to express how I feel right now?" says Cheng. "Let's ...
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M E D I A R E L E A S E
CONTACT:
Shirley Cheng
Website URL: www.shirleycheng.com
For Immediate Release
Embrace Ultra-Ability to Love the Life You Live
How would you like to see far and wide and dance with your heart like the blind and physically disabled author Shirley Cheng? Would you want to live positively and passionately, and welcome
ultra-ability into your life? Embrace Ultra-Ability! will gently guide you through the dance steps so you can waltz to the music of life. Filled with the blind author's precocious wisdom, insight and
personal experiences, this new book empowers you to accept all the jewels Jehovah God Almighty abundantly supplies us, and supports you on your journey to using the gifts wisely. Once you have
welcomed all His treasures—from love to hope—be ready to soar with ultra-ability!
"If there is ever ...
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A jolly greeting from Inspiration from a Blind, brought to you monthly by www.ShirleyCheng.com!
Happy New Year, my loyal subscribers as well as my newcomers!
What is at the top of your list? No, I'm not talking about your New Year's resolution or shopping list. I am talking about your all-time to-do list. You know, the virtual list of things you would
like to accomplish in your lifetime, of what you'd want to be and how you'd want to be. So what is at the top? Take a look, and let me know if it is love.
Put love at the top of your list. No, make it the first item on your list. It is never too late to move or add love in the #1 spot. Make it your priority to be more loving, to show more love to your
fellow mankind, animals, ...
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A very happy greeting from Inspiration from a Blind, brought to you monthly by www.ShirleyCheng.com!
At this time of year, I always like to remember the good times, the good things, I am fortunate to experience and have. Although I've had some bumps along the way to get where I am today, I am able
to nod at my life and think back with gratitude.
If you could nod with approval at your life—though there have been ups and downs, with downs so overwhelming at times—then you would be able to move forward with life and be grateful of life; you
would be happy with your life.
I have mentioned that gratitude is the most important element you need to have in order to live a happy life and to overcome negativity. You not only should be grateful of things you have right now
but of ...
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A warm hello from Inspiration from a Blind, brought to you monthly by www.ShirleyCheng.com!
How many disabled people do you know? No, I am not referring to the people who simply have a physical disability. I am talking about the ones who allow themselves to become disabled or let others
make them disabled. A person, healthy or otherwise, can be disabled if he or she lets everyday negativity or problems hinder them from truly loving the life they live or going after their heart's
desires.
Many people tend to let a negative comment ruin their mood for the rest of their day, without having the ability to ignore it in order to focus on the good things they do have. Why is it so easy to
focus on or be preoccupied by a bad event than it is by a positive event? It is unfortunately the nature ...
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The 2007 DIY Book Festival awarded the title of honorable mention to Waking Spirit: Prose & Poems the Spirit Sings by Shirley Cheng, her
third accolade for this book.
"What can I possibly say this time?" says Cheng, a blind and physically disabled 24-year-old author and motivational speaker. "Last time, I said I was floating on Cloud Nine. Well, let's say I'm
dancing on it now."
Waking Spirit's last two accolades are an award-winning finalist in the national Indie Excellence 2007 Book Awards and an honorable mention in the 2007 New York Book Festival.
"Waking Spirit celebrates life while encouraging us all to appreciate
what we already have. It's a book of survival, a tome of devotion, a
bible of being," wrote New York Times bestselling author, Cynthia
Brian, in the foreword. "Serve yourself a big helping of Shirley
Cheng's inspiration and you'll be motivated ...
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A happy day to you from Inspiration from a Blind, brought to you monthly by the happy old me, www.ShirleyCheng.com!
What directly affects your actions in life? It is your attitude: it is your opinion of the situation you are in—how you view what you are going through. For example, let's say you just broke up with
someone you've been dating for two years, and you could either react positively or negatively. If you think, "Oh, this is not the end of my life—things could be a lot worse," you will not fall into
any hole you might have otherwise created for yourself; on the other hand, if you say, "This is it! I'm unloved and I feel miserable," it will definitely throw you into a giant hole, and you will in
turn feel unmotivated to move forward.
Being positive and remaining positive in negative situations can ...
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Bonjour! Inspiration from a Blind greets you on this lovely September morning! Why don't you visit www.ShirleyCheng.com to return the
greeting?
For this issue, I want to talk about time, specifically how we waste such a precious resource. Below is excerpted from one of my forthcoming books.
We all know that time is a precious resource. (You do, do you not?) But quite often enough, our actions do not match our belief and thought on the matter. We do things that waste our times while
putting what we should do way behind us—right at the back of our minds. Sure, you need to relax and not to work all the time, but I am referring to the activities you often automatically do without
giving much thought to it. Relaxing and meditating are productive; smoking, gambling, and sitting in front of your television set for an extended period ...
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A bright hello from Inspiration from a Blind, brought to you monthly by www.ShirleyCheng.com! (I guess you are beginning to skip this every time now!)
Take my love, and do as you wish with it. I expect nothing in return, no acknowledgement, no obligation; for loving you is the biggest reward itself; it gives me complete happiness
Love, ah the lovely, mysterious feeling. From love, all beautiful things bloom. Let's talk about loving life unconditionally. It goes hand in hand with gratitude—being grateful of your life unconditionally. When things go wrong in people's life, or when they don't get what they want, they start complaining about life. People often ask me what inspires me. I always give them my one-word answer: life. The last time I gave this answer, the woman laughed. She said that while I love life, people usually complain about life.
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| Hello from Inspiration from a Blind, brought to you monthly by www.ShirleyCheng.com! Wow, we're at the second half of 2007 already! I can't help but to exclaim, but I'll hush up and leave you in peace as you ponder this month's issue. "Living is not about me, me, me; it is about us, us, us," is what I say. I often stress, love yourself; dance with your heart; appreciate who you are from your head down to your wiggly toes. But the "why" has not always been clear, even though I've mentioned it in a subtle way. Why do you need to love and appreciate yourself? One answer may be clear: to be happy. But that is only half of the reason why loving yourself is important. If you cannot appreciate what you have, how can ... |
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| Shirley Cheng, a blind and physically disabled 24-year-old motivational speaker and author, has received Honorable Mention in the Poetry category of the New York Book Festival Competition for her newest release, Waking Spirit: Prose & Poems the Spirit Sings, a heartfelt collection that explores a world of dancing hearts, singing spirits, with infinite love from life. Cheng will hold a book signing for this book, along with a few of her other books, during the festival on June 23 in Central Park. "I am absolutely honored and delighted beyond words. Let's just say that I'm floating on cloud 9," says Cheng, who is also known as the modern day Helen Keller. "I've made it one of my life's missions to touch as many people as I possibly can to bring humor, hope, and healing; and receiving Honorable Mention in this contest will ... |
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| Inspiration from a Blind greets you! Brought to you monthly by www.ShirleyCheng.com! By the time you read this, I'll be wheeling around the halls at BookExpo America 2007, coaxing publishers and bookstores to buy my books. I will share my adventures with you in the next issue. You can listen to my short podcast at http://bookexpocast.com/2007/04 Now on with this month's newsletter. Are you happy? Are you truly, seriously, undoubtedly happy right this minute? Well, your answer may be yes since you probably had something good happen to you. But let's pretend that nothing "extraordinary" happened. Would you still be happy? Are you happy with your life, with yourself? Sure, your life isn't perfect (no one's is) but how many things in your life are you happy and content about? (Wait, don't answer that yet—you might give me "Not much!") ... |
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| A warm May greeting from Inspiration from a Blind, brought to you monthly by www.ShirleyCheng.com! (that's me!) How much does your mother mean to you? My beloved mom Juliet Cheng means the world to me, and I thank God each and every day for giving me such a wonderful mom. She's the cornerstone and light of my life; the foundation of my happiness, strength, and success. And since Mother's Day is coming up, I'd like to devote this issue to our mothers, who are our treasures. They are the people who love you the most and who know you the best. I know not all mothers fit this description, unfortunately, but for the sake of my usual cheerful issues, I will focus on the women that do make the biggest difference in our lives. But before I do so, I'd ... |
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| Shirley Cheng, a blind and physically disabled 24-year-old motivational speaker and author, has been announced as an award-winning finalist in the New Age Nonfiction category of the National Indie Excellence 2007 Book Awards for her forthcoming release, Waking Spirit: Prose & Poems the Spirit Sings, a heartfelt collection that explores a world of dancing hearts, singing spirits, with infinite love from life. "I am absolutely honored and delighted beyond words," says Cheng, who is also known as the modern day Helen Keller. "I've made it one of my life's missions to touch as many people as I possibly can to bring humor, hope, and healing; and being a finalist in this contest will definitely help fulfill my goal." "Waking Spirit celebrates life while encouraging us all to appreciate what we already have. It's a book of survival, a tome of devotion, a bible ... |
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| A loving smile from Inspiration from a Blind...and you know the rest, but here goes anyway: brought to you monthly by www.ShirleyCheng.com! When you look out your window, what do you see? I remember seeing the green foliage of trees, their greenness shimmering under the loving, ardent kiss of the sun, and how the leaves danced when the winds whistled through them. I remember admiring the birds hovering overhead and swanning so gracefully. I have very fond memories of these lovely scenes of nature, of life. I continue to enjoy life as I savor every sound I hear, every fragrance I smell, and every exquisite touch of something soft or delicate. Feeling life through my senses, I am in awe of it all. And I ask myself how everything and everyone are in existence, and have come into existence, without having being created? ... |
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| A sunny greeting from Inspiration from a Blind, brought to you monthly by...yes, you guessed it— www.ShirleyCheng.com!
Be your own true best friend and you will become a true best friend of the world. Now what do I mean by that? Let us dissect it together, shall we?
First, what do you look for in a friend? What qualities attract you? Do you want someone who is honest, sincere, fun, and loving? Do you want someone you can trust and with whom to share laughter and tears? Then those are the qualities you need to have in order to attract yourself. Others will be attracted to you, too.
Second, you need to accept yourself. As we all know, no one is really flawless; we have some faults one way or another. Acknowledge those faults, but do not be held back from them. As long as... |
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| Blind and physically disabled motivational speaker, poet and author Shirley Cheng will be holding a book signing during the Chinese New Year celebration of the Pig on Saturday, February 10 ... |
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| Greetings from Inspiration from a Blind, brought to you monthly by www.ShirleyCheng.com!
Do you hold the power in your hand? You do indeed! You hold the power to bring sunshine into someone's life; you hold the power to create dark clouds over your head. You have the power to choose the road you take and change your life around. Throughout the history of mankind, heroes have used their power to bring forth significant changes affecting generation after generation. The great Martin Luther King Jr. opened the eyes and hearts of people to accept fellow human beings, ones who wear darker clothes than some others. (How we look are just nature clothes we wear—some wear brown while others wear white, but inside, we're all the same.)
A recent hero acted upon pure love, courage, and instinct. Wesley Audrey jumped from a Manhattan subway platform to rescue an ill student who fell down to the train tracks. Imagine the train charging straight at you while you have to save someone's life by tightly pinning them to the ground below the tracks, being only two inches away from the train. Wesley definitely holds the power!
Now, I know it is my turn to use my power to contribute big to the world. I need to open the eyes and hearts of people to turn our country into a true nation run by the people for the people. As you all know, I am a parental rights in children's medical care advocate; on Martin Luther King Jr.'s Day, I created an online petition to give parents the right to disagree with doctors' recommended treatments for their children and to have the right to choose and follow their own treatment. If you support this cause, please by all means sign the petition at:
http://www.petitiononline.com/parentr7/petition.html
Please by all means pass it along to others; forward it, post the information in newsgroups, forums, chat groups, blogs, websites, newsletters, etc. I need all the support I can get! By uniting our power, we can move mountains.
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| Since today is the great Martin Luther King Jr.'s Day, I have created the Parental Rights in Children's Medical Care: Give Parents the Right to Say No Petition to return rights to the hands of loving parents. Mr. King opened the eyes and hearts of people to accept fellow mankind, now it is my turn to open the eyes and hearts of people to protect today's parents and the children of our future.
So please sign the petition to support a great cause, and pass it along to everyone you know!
Should the state send the parent to court just because the parent asked the hospital to stop giving their child aspirin when it is worsening their child's condition? Is it okay for the judge to call the parent a child abuser when the parent intercepted unwanted, harmful treatment for their child?
"When doctors ask yes or no, parents should have the right to say no!" —Shirley Cheng, www.ShirleyCheng.com
What's a more frightening nightmare for parents than their children's illness? It is the fear of ... |
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| A warm hello from Inspiration from a Blind, brought to you monthly by ShirleyCheng.com!
I hope you're off to a great new year! 2007 has been predicted to be the warmest year worldwide due to global warming and the El Nino weather phenomenon. So far, the winter here in the east coast has been feeling like spring. No kidding—this month, there were several days in the 50s, and one even in the low 70s! But whether or not their prediction will hold true, I do wish you a very warm year—plenty of warm feelings and happy moments. And for the year's resolution, become the boss of your emotions. How? Read on!
But first, some good news: the New Year has started out really great for me again—I have been notified that my essay entry, I Hold the Power, has received Honorable Mention in the 3rd annual Be the Star You Are! national writing contest, the same contest my entry, The Jewel from Heavenly Father, won 1st place last year! Needless to say, I am extremely honored and thrilled. I will share with you my Honorable Mention entry in the next issue of my newsletter.
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| Shirley Cheng, a blind and physically disabled 23-year-old author, has received Honorable Mention in the 3rd Annual Be the Star You Are!™ Writing Contest for her essay, I Hold the Power, her inspirational story of overcoming blindness at the age of seventeen. She was tied for 1st place in the same contest last year.
“I am absolutely honored and thrilled,” Says Shirley. “I hadn’t expected to literally be a winner twice in a row. It is so important to get my story out to empower others to live their life to the very fullest. Receiving Honorable Mention has definitely helped me fulfill my goal of inspiring people to go for their gold medals in life, whether they are disabled or non-disabled.” ... |
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| Shirley Cheng salutes a true hero:
Wesley Autrey is truly an excellent role model to the society. Not only did he risk his own life to save a stranger's, he was in an extremely frightening situation; plus he has two young girls who need him. He literally had no time to make the decision—he acted upon pure love and courage. What a selfless person he is. The first time when I read about him, and how he had saved the student's life by jumping onto the subway's train tracks when the train was charging at them, it sent shivers down my spine.
If more people have even just 10% of this kind of love and selflessness, what a better world this would be. Wesley is the kind of person who should be mirrored. Just do kind acts; no need to be ones like his, and people will improve greatly. So many people abandon "small" kind acts, making this world dark and harsh.
Wesley should be rewarded at least one million dollars for his heroic action. This is the kind of story that all media should cover. He should appear on all shows, including Oprah. His story should be taught to children.
I wish him and his family the very, very best. I hope he'll have kind and loving people to help him if he is ever in need.
I wish I could have the great honor to meet him and shake his hands someday, and thank him for being such a beautiful human being.
Thank you, Wesley.
ShirleyCheng.com |
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| Advocate of parental rights in children's medical care in the American medical system seeks contribution for new book for this point: "When doctors ask yes or no, parents should have the right to say no." —Shirley Cheng
I am looking for articles (unbiased, factual), personal experience stories, case studies from medical personnel (doctors, psychologists, etc.), lawyers, reporters, journalists, writers, parents, survivors (children), and anyone who has involved in this issue or has written about this issue, about the injustice system that strips the rights from parents and that takes the child away from their parents over medical disputes. I am especially interested in the cases of Abraham Cherrix (Virginia, 2006), Edward and Michele Wernecke concerning their daughter Katie (Texas, 2005), Corissa Mueller (2002), Pam Anderson concerning her son, Anthony Mitchell (2000), Miguel Regino and Adela Martinez concerning their daughter Anamarie Martinez-Regino (New Mexico, 2000), Sherry and Paul Lipscomb (Ohio, 2000), Valerie Emerson (Maine, 1998), and Tina Phifer concerning her daughter Amkia (1997); and I'd also be very interested in any articles anyone has written concerning my own mother Juliet Cheng's custody case in 1990 that made international headlines.
I will need permission to reprint any contribution in my new book and will give full credits to the contributors at the back of the book. No monetary rewards will be given, but every contributor will receive a free copy of the book and can buy the books at a discount. Please e-mail me from http://www.shirleycheng.com
Thank you and please pass the word on!
Shirley Cheng, a blind and physically disabled 23-year-old author of four books, is the survivor of mother Juliet Cheng's two custody cases in America.
Contribution Requirements
* Be truthful, honest, and accurate. Fact-check all the information you provide in your contribution, including dates, places, names, etc.
* You must have permission and/or the copyrights of your contribution to submit it for the book, including permission to use any person's name in your contribution
* Articles should be between 400 and 2000 words long
Personal experience stories/essays should be between 400 and 1500 words long
Case studies should be between 600 and 2500 words long
*Articles and case studies should be unbiased, strictly factual
* For personal experience stories, you may make up the names of the people, including yourself, in your contribution in order to protect your or other people's privacy
* But use real names in articles and case studies
* E-mail me first before submitting any contribution (e-mail me from http://www.shirleycheng.com)
* There's no actual deadline for any submission, as I am the publisher, but I'd like to have the project move along in a steady pace, so please submit any contribution at your earliest convenience
As a contributor, you will retain full copyrights to your contribution, but I will have publishing, promotional, and distributing rights. Once I accept your contribution for publication in my book, I will have you read and sign an agreement outlining these basic terms.
One voice is not enough—we must work together to make a difference, so please contribute to this book if you have a story/article/case study to share with others, so we can put an end to this injustice that's plaguing our democratic society! Let us turn our country into a true nation run by the people for the people!
Shirley Cheng, www.ShirleyCheng.com |
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| Happy New Year 2007 from the special edition of Inspiration from a Blind, brought to you by ShirleyCheng.com! (The regular issue for this month will arrive promptly in your inbox in two weeks.)
Embrace the Sky with Waking Spirit
For 2007, how would you like to explore a world of dancing hearts, singing spirits, with infinite love from life? Now you can fly to where hearts dance to songs of delight sung by the spirits of life in the treasure trove of Waking Spirit: Prose & Poems the Spirit Sings, the latest book written by Shirley Cheng, who dances with her heart despite multiple physical disabilities, including blindness.
Swing to the melodies as the essence of the prose and poetry, including 102 beautifully written haiku of nature wonders and delightful animals, awakens your soul. The inspirational quotes in A Moment with Shirley, and autobiographical tales, such as I'm Not Disabled—I'm Ultra-Abled, shine with the author's invincible spirit and precocious wisdom, empowering you to embrace the sky.
"Waking Spirit celebrates life while encouraging us all to appreciate what we already have. It's a book of survival, a tome of devotion, a bible of being," wrote New York Times bestselling author, Cynthia Brian, in the foreword. "Serve ... |
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Posted by Shirley Cheng at
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| Seasons Greeting from Inspiration from a Blind, brought to you monthly by ShirleyCheng.com! What is wrong with the below sentence? (Nah, this isn't a grammar quiz!)
"Live each day as though it is your last." Sure, everyone (at least, it feels like it's everyone) is saying this...I hear it, read it, everywhere. People say this to encourage others to live life to its fullest. It may seem encouraging, but there's always something I don't quite like about that "encouragement" but never could really point out (to myself) why; personally, I've never used this phrase. But recently, it suddenly hit me when I was lying in bed—which is usually the time when ideas come knocking on my brain door. For the first time, I publicly had a chance to point out why during my last radio show interview on The Namaste Show with host ... |
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