To purchase Hidden In Childhood, go to this link Amazon. This book makes a precious gift to anyone with a family member who was abused or is still being abused. For children raised by parents that provided a healthy and safe environment to grow up in, this book gives them an idea of what many people have had to do to survive. Abuse may steal your childhood, but many survive to become powerful, intelligent, and intuitive warriors that have thrived.
My daughter, Carolyn, is reading “God’s Grace” by Joni Caggiano and talking about the good she believes this book can provide for neglected and abused children.
It is a beautiful resource for others who are in the process of being abused or are still trying to come to terms with the loss of their childhood. It is not too late to stop the cycle.
If anyone is currently abusing you, please don’t remain silent. Please seek help. May God bless all the authors who opened their hearts and shared their beautiful poetry.
Thank you, Gabriela, for giving a platform to those children who cried or are still crying alone in the dark.
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Beautiful verses and a blessing to hear. A wonderful reading as well. Big hugs to you all!
Thank you Francis. You are very gracious. You poems are beautiful in Hidden in Childhood. Sending blessings. 🦋🌹
You are very welcome Joni! Always a great pleasure. Thank you! I am so glad you liked them.
Your poems are so lovely and always speak to me, my friend. I especially loved “My Childhood Was An Airplane.” Your heart, I believe, is centered around your faith; when you are near the water, have your lovely wife and your beautiful art. That is a blessing to all of us.Big hugs and love to you both!
Thank you Joni, blessings to you both!
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Loved the poem Joni. And someone saw your post on IG last week, and promised to order me a copy. Lol… It’s already making an impact.
You are very kind Nigel. I appreciate your kindness and I would love to feel that it makes an impact. Sending hugs, prayers and love to my brother. 🌹
Thank you Joni
You are most welcome 🙏
A beautiful poem recited well by your daughter! Like mother, like daughter! Loved the poem. It touches the heart ❤️
I am so glad you enjoyed it KK. I was proud of her and grateful that she did the reading. She picked out the poem and sent the recording. I was touched by the sentiment. Thank you dear friend. Sending hugs and love. 🦋🌹
It was my pleasure, Joni! My best wishes to both of you 🎉💖💐
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It is, truly hard, to forgive our own childhoods, for all the hurt we were put through, by those who were supposed to love us, but instead, had abused and/or,neglected us, and, it is, empowering, to encounter the real-life stories of how someone is, able to, break out of that, cycle of, sbuse, to make the conscious, decision, to not pass it down to their own, next generations.
You are so right it is very empowering. It takes hard work not to repeat the cycle but it can be done. Thank you for your kind response and your comment which is certainly on point. Many blessings my friend. 🦋🌹❤️
This is so wonderful, Joni! It’s so nice to see Carolyn reading your poem and celebrating your strength and resilience. You two are beautiful in every way. Congratulations! 🙂
Thank you so much Terveen that is so gracious and kind of you. She had a full plate at work but said, she would love to do it. I prefer not to do readings. I hope all is well with you. Sending you blessings and love, Joni 🌹
Wonderfully done, beautifully written, delightfully read AND you look fabulous! 🌹💕
You are just so sweet, my friend. That is my daughter, and I will thank you for your kind words, as I know she would. I also cut most of my hair; my photo on MasticadoresIndia was taken about two months ago. Many people say we look a lot alike. I am always flattered by that comment. So thank you. I am delighted that you enjoyed the piece. I was very proud of my daughter; she picked the poem and did a much better job than I would. Nancy, I must say that both of your pieces made those tears come from within my heart, dropping heavy tears down my chest. “Builder of Walls,” I know a little about that wall, but not the other things mentioned in your piece; so touching, heartbreaking, and brilliantly written. Thank you so much for sharing those memories with us and all those who buy this book. You are something else, Nancy. Many say they wish they could return and be young again, but that is not me. I work hard to drink lots of water, exercise, and all those things, but still, being young is hard. With today’s social media and the bullying that goes on, I don’t think I could take it. Sending you many blessings and lots of love. Joni
I am shocked and should have paid more attention; I truly thought that was you in the video. Thank you for all the wonderful things you said. You are a very special person! ❤️
You are very gracious Nancy. I appreciate your friendship very much. I have a tremendous amount of respect for you and your talent. Big hugs and lots of love coming your way.
I’m going to take the easy way out … which also happens to be the totally honest way by say ditto and right back at ya, Joni. Luv ya, girl! 💕
Thank you so much, Nancy; that means a lot to me. I hope I see one of your beautiful stories published soon. ❤️ Sending my love, hugs and prayers your way.
You’re most welcome, luv! 🥰
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This is a beautiful poem, Joni! Congratulations!
Thank you so much, Dawn, for listening and for your gracious comment. I love your poems as well. “The Listener” spoke to me on a personal level. The way you described the soothing sense you found in nature as a small child. The ending made me hold my breath as I was not sure how bad the ending of this “real-life” experience would be. I was right there with you and could imagine you being comforted by your family as the world was no longer quiet. Simply a beautiful write. Big hugs and blessings, Joni
Touching, Joni. It makes me thankful for the wonderful parents I had while growing up.
I am so grateful for that too. I hope you had lovely meals and fun at school and lots of crushes too. All the wonderful things all children should have. My daughter was a gymnast-a serious one, she also played varsity volleyball before she was a senior. I only missed on meet. She was homecoming princess and went to all the proms. Our home is where all the “jocks” hung out on the weekend. Her life was not perfect, I was a young mom but she had excelled as a VP of a company in Kirkland and knowing she didn’t grow up like I did means so much to me. I am sure you too had an active life with much joy and support. So grateful fro that Tim. Big hugs and love, Joni
Joni, such a beautiful reading. I am deeply humbled and grateful. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Have a gorgeous evening and thank you again.
xoxo
I don’t know how this ended up in spam, but I am finding this today, dear Gabriela. Thank you, and so glad you enjoy the reading. My daughter really wanted to read one of my poems and she is aware of how gracious you have been to me over the years. I have told her how inspiring and helpful you were to me when still very new at the online thing. I will always be grateful for all the kindness you showed me and many others. Blessings and love, Joni
Oh Joni, what an absolute blessing to have your beautiful daughter recite your amazing poem with such poise and clarity…I found just that in itself so moving…and then your poem comes alive inside of her. We feel the importance she feels, reciting her mother’s work. She does it with such love and respect.. A very moving piece of your childhood, being told with such loving care by your beautiful daughter…we see you in her shining face. 🌹🦋🌟🌈❤️
Dearest Karima, what a kind comment and gracious comment. I am so glad you enjoyed my daughter’s reading. She said she was nervous, but I didn’t think she looked nervous. I am very proud of her. Thank you so much, Karima. I am sending you a bucket of hugs and love and wishing you an incredibly blessed rest of your week. Love you, Joni
This is so beautiful Joni <3
What a loving tribute by Carolyn! I just bought the book, Joni. Your poem “God’s Grace” is beautiful, as is all your work. I am sure the book will be a great resource for abuse victims. God bless you, my dear friend. <3 <3 <3
Carolyn looks so much like you. You both are beautiful, inside and out. As always, your poetry is amazing. Keep on writing. I’m sure it’s helping many who are reading it.
Thank you, Mary. What a very kind thing to say. Mary, I appreciate you and your graciousness concerning reading this post and am touched that you think people are being helped. Bless your heart. I believe that too.
Joni, this is such a loving post. I truly cherish you as my soul sister & gifted friend writing your truth. Carolyn is lovely, just like her mama. I love you- Janette
Dearest Janette, thank you so much for your kind comment. I also cherish our friendship and thank you for your kind words about Carolyn. Thank you so much for all the support you have always given me. I love you very much and miss you. I am glad Carolyn did this because I don’t think I do a very good job reading my own work. I get too emotional. Love you, and hope to talk on the phone again soon. Love you my sweet soul sister.
The poem was wonderful dear Joni. I do like to hear you speak. You speak with confident.
John I am so glad you liked this, she is my daughter. My daughter is a Vice President near Seattle and she does speak very confidently. I appreciate your kind comment. Everyone thinks we look a like but my hair is short now and she is my only child. It was kind of her she was excited to do it. Big hugs 🤗 and I hope you won’t worry too much about what is going on. We can pray. Love ❤️ Joni
Dear Joni. From a distance. Prayers and hope. The food, water, housing and medical gets to Turkey/Syria quick enough. Your daughter, intelligent, like her mama.
Thank you, John, for your kind words. I know some people there, and it sounds like the Turkish government is trying to keep people warm. People are afraid to go into buildings that are now safe to be in because they are afraid. This will be a long haul and take a lot of time to make things livable again for many people. I am not surprised that this is devastating as it looks like a war zone. I believe in prayer, too, John, and I genuinely hope that everyone who is a believer is praying. “But for the grace of God go I.” Blessings to you, my kind friend. Sending lots of hugs and prayers for you and your family too. Love Joni
A Beautiful picture of your daughter and such an amazing piece you wrote in the book. She is truly adorable just like her mom. You have to be so proud of her~! 💞
Cindy, I am so sorry I was in the middle of responding to freezer burn when I was trying to correct an error, and all of a sudden it send my half-written response. I want to thank you for such a kind response on my story. I told you that it was mostly a true story about someone whose grandmother got a strong enough feeling that something was wrong, and she acted immediately on her feelings saving this incredibly smart young girl. Thank you so much for reading Cindy. Thank you for your kind words regarding my daughter. Yes I am proud of her and love her very much. By the way your piece in Masticadores was especially beautiful, I really enjoyed reading it as well. Hope all is going well with your family. It is hard to not think a lot about the devastation in Syria and Turkey, just doing a lot of praying again. You and I are just so very blessed. Big hugs and love my friend!
Oh wow!!!! Thank you for sharing. My heart bleeds for kids that are being mistreated.
Thank you so much. The book is full of such fantastic poetry. I believe everyone has some dysfunction in their home, but some have way more than their share. I truly appreciate your kind comments. That is my daughter reading that piece. Wishing you lots of blessings. Big hugs, Joni
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Joni, both of your poems in “Hidden in Childhood” are so moving and beautifully written!
Thank you so much Dawn. I really wrote from my gut. There are so many sad feelings wrapped in there, along with when I finally stood up to my mom for the first time. It truly is a fantastic book. So many poets I admire are in the book, along with many publishers and big award winners. I was so proud to be in the book. I loved that you read or listened to them; that means a lot to me. Big blessings to you, Dawn. You are very kind, and I am flattered by your words. Love, Joni