I am honored and proud to be included in this new anthology that Michelle Ayon Navajas has curated. There are more than two dozen talented authors who have contributed to this book with poetry and prose about survival after trauma. Be sure to pick up your copy when it becomes available next week!
“I am a sunflower, golden, proud and tall
dancing playfully toward the bright sun
no longer living in the land of the small”
An excerpt from “Sunflower – A New Page,” – A poem in “One Petal at a Time” by Joni Caggiano.
Congratulations Joni! 👏🧡
Thank you so much Sara. I am truly honored. This topic is near and dear to my heart. ❤️ 🤗❤️
It’s my pleasure Joni. It’s wonderful to share your words and heart! ❤️🌻❤️
Thank you Sara your words touch my heart. ❤️🙏❤️
❤️🌻❤️
Wonderful, Joni! Congratulations!
Thank you so much my kind friend. This was a blessing to my heart when Michelle said she was launching a worldwide anthology on abuse. With everything going on in our country right now, rape, slavery and general abuse is on the rise all over the world. A very sad thing, but hopefully this book will land in the hands of the people it can help. Many blessings to you and the family, my friend hoping you’re having a blessed weekend.❤️🙏❤️
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Congratulations, Joni! You truly deserve it. My best wishes 👏💐🙏
Oh thank you dear KK. I appreciate that I have so much respect for your poetry and wisdom. I think this book will help others around the globe. Mich is the one who truly deserves the credit. She is talented and successful but so many don’t begin to know how humble this Woman who lives in the Philippines truly has lived. She is such an humanitarian. She often is the voice of the silenced. Thank you dearest KK. Great big hugs to you. ❤️🤗❤️
Thank you so much, Joni, for giving additional information about Mich. She is a courageous and compassionate person. I wish her success in her endeavours. Much love to you 🙏💐❤️
You are so welcome, dear KK. She is, indeed. Much love to you, ❤️🌷
Aw, thank you Joni for your kind words. I started this advocacy in 2019 and I know that together we can do more and we can make a difference.
I could not agree more, dear Mich. I am so grateful for what you have been doing all these years. Yes, the importance of having victims from around the globe makes a powerful statement. <3<3<3
Congratulations, Joni dearest. Im looking forward to reading your submitted pieces. So excited for this release.
I know Nigel I feel the same way. I have prayed over this book. I think it will help people all over the world. Thank you my dear friend. We both send our love. ❤️
Thank you Nigel ❣️🙏
Sending you, Michelle, and other writers my best wishes and hearty congratulations!
Thank you, Michele, that is very gracious of you. I hope your upcoming week is full of love and blessings. Love Joni
Sounds so wonderful! Thank you, Joni and you’re welcome. 🩷🙏🏻
❤️🌹❤️
Thank you dear Michele 🙏❣️
The release date draws nigh, and I’m excited for Michelle and this significant project. I’m also eager to read your contributions to this anthology Joni. Sublime perfection flows from your golden pen, my friend. Your words will touch the hearts and souls of many readers. Wishing you a good Sunday. All the best to you and Scott. 😊
Dear Mike, thank you for your kind response. I feel certain this book is going to be an amazing anthology. The fact that it will be a worldwide release is truly exciting. Mich is kind to curate such a gift to other people who have suffered from abuse. I sure appreciate your words when you refer to my writing, Mike. You are always so kind. Wishing you a blessed and creative week from both of us. ❤️
Thank you Mike ❣️
How WONDERFUL that this book is coming out, and that you have been included, Joni. <3 <3 <3
Thank you, dear Anna. I so appreciate your comment. I feel honored to be included in this book and happy it is a worldwide release. We just never know that something we write could mean the difference in someone continuing the cycle or seeking help. Blessing to you my kind friend. Sending love, Joni
I saw your name on the list of authors, Joni, and I’m so looking forward to this important and heart-baring anthology. You’re writing is beautiful, richly sensory, emotional, and vital. I’m looking forward to getting my hands on the book and sharing it with others. <3
What a thoughtful thing to say, Diana. Thank you. I appreciate your kind words and am grateful for your support of this project. I think Mich taking this project up will be important to a worldwide audience. Big hugs, Joni
<3
Thank you, Diana❣️🙏
Congratulations Joni. <3
Thank you Tram, I really appreciate it! <3
Thank you so much Joni for joining me and the rest of the contributors in this very important cause. ❣️🙏
I am so grateful to be included. It is seriously a blessing for me. Thank you for launching this amazing project and bringing people from around the globe. <3<3<3
Congratulations Joni!!!!!
You are amazing. I went over and read the interview and announcement.
You are brave and beautiful! Resa xx
Resa, you are so kind. Thank you for reading and your lovely response. I try to say the things that I couldn’t as a child. Sometimes, I felt like I lived in a world of monsters, and I know that sounds terrible, but we never tell all of the things we have gone through, not even me. Some things are just too horrible. Thank you so much for being such a kindhearted being, Resa. I love what you do to make a difference in this world, Resa, through your beautiful artwork, words, and making amazing gowns with recycled materials. You could still be doing it for money in movies, but eventually, the people who handled the costume designs on NetFlix, Apple TV, Amazon Prime, Hulu, and Hollywood will realize that the dresses and suits can look the same. What a savings that one be to our world for so many resources. PS, your movie portfolio is amazing. <3<3<3
It’s true, we never tell all of the things we have been through. I have many secrets, too difficult to reveal.
I know none of those things were my fault. I was surviving, but I’ll never tell, as things stand.
Still, who knows what the future may bring, and bring out of me/us.
I loved my career. Thank you for checking out my work! ☀️🌹🌻xx
Good Morning Resa! I hope that you are having a great week. You know it doesn’t have to be everyone’s choice to talk about their pain. I believe that no one goes completely unscathed in this world. So, if that is true, then everyone has painful stories. Abuse is never the victim’s fault. One of the biggest goals of this book is to let people who have been wronged know that they are not alone. There are and will always be people who can not tell their stories. Everyone I talk about who abused me as a child is long gone. As an adult, some abuses occur to me that I don’t often talk about. I don’t have any guilt about any abuse I have suffered over the years, though and I hope you don’t either. I think that is another important message. I love your work Resa, you are so talented. I love that you are helping our planet with what you do. Thank you, and sending you lots of love and hugs, Joni
Joni!
Well it’s evening now.
It was a busy day.
I enjoy evenings because that’s when I get to draw and sew.
YES, abuse is never the victims fault! Yet, so many feel like it was their fault. Abusers count on that to get away with it.
I love what you do too, Joni!
Hooray for you! xo☀️🌻xo☀️🌻
Dearest Resa, We got back last night late and have been playing catch-up all day. I am so glad to hear from you. Your work is so stunning. Thank you for your comment. You are so right it is never the victim’s fault. It is sad that the victims of rape, especially, are raped all over again if they go to court. Rape and violence against victims is a desire for a man who feels out of control to take control. It is also a violent crime. Otherwise, there would not be records of babies and 80-year-old women getting raped. Sending you big hugs and my love.
No worries, Joni!
Hope you had a fab time,
BIG HUGS back you you! xxxx
Thank you for being understanding. I truly appreciate it dear Resa. Sending hugs, love and inspiration galore. Blessings ❤️🦋❤️
Ohh, I. grabbed that inspiration out of the air! Thank you!!
I’m working on a portrait of Joni Mitchell, for Holly (House of Heart)
So now, with some inspiration from another Joni… I’ll bet I have a great night of drawing tonight!
Thank you!!!!
xoxoxoxoxo
Oh, dear Resa, I love Joni Mitchell. I am now listening after reading your lovely comment to “Both Sides Now,” thank you. I used to dance on roofs to Joni Mitchell’s voice. She has such an amazingly strong range – what a beautiful musician. Your portrait work is fabulous. I remember Holly talking about how incredibly amazing your portrait work was in a post, and that lady knows her art. I love your captures of those I have seen. If I inspire you at all, that is my blessing, too, my friend. What a great subject for a portrait, Resa. I can’t wait to see it. Thank you so much for reading me. Have an amazing day immersed in your art. Hugs and love, Joni
OMG!
Hugs and love back. to you!
I LOVE your enthusiasm, Joni.
It seems the abuse you suffered in the past has somehow made you and angel of love and joy.
Yes, Joni M. wrote so many wonderful songs.
I’ve been listening to Carey: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfZJ6sHeA6k
What a sweetheart. I love that one (“he’s a mean old daddy, but he is out of sight”) Joni Mitchell lyrics – I love that song, but I just listened to it. We have all met a cool guy who was a mean old daddy – haha. You are great at everything you do, Resa. You are very sweet, Resa; I wish I was an angel, and I could fly – remember how we used to fly when we were children – what is with that – I was a great flyer in my dreams, and I bet you were too. I bet the dogs were a hollering something fierce after I put my earbuds in and started singing out loud while I was working this morning. I never could hit those seriously high notes but then who could like Joni M. Tonight, when it is crazy quiet in the house, I am going in and checking every kind soul’s site that commented here today. I don’t read others unless I have real-time to truly read and listen to what they are saying. Sometimes I might read a poem three times and often I will study art from a painter for a long time. I don’t rush through it. Thank you sweetie and I will see you tonight. Big hugs and love, Joni
Yes, I did fly when I was a child.
I was also a mermaid, and could breathe under water. I had the most glorious tail!
I don’t rush either. I blog for enjoyment. It’s not a job.
The Joni drawing is another bit closer to being finished. So, thank you!
Sing my friend! You will hit thse high notes in your heart!
Big HUGS!!!!
It sounds like we have a lot in common. When I used to go to my Aunt’s house, I also pretended I was a mermaid. I am glad you take your time, and I can see that you do, when you talk to your friends on WordPress. Big Hugs back dear Resa. <3<3<3
We do,Joni!
Interesting you say that about comments on my blog.
Blogging can foster positive energy and relationships.
We need to keep the lines of communication open now, more than ever, in a rapidly changing world.
Have a great week ahead!
BIG HUGS!
Yes, you are so right. It is important to keep the lines of communication open. I just saw your Janis Joplin portrait and was blown away. I worked in a bar/restaurant once when I was very young and sang some Joplin’s with the regular band. They called me their singing waitress. Anyway that you.tube video was amazing and your likeness of her and the capturing of so many different emotions on her face was unbelievable. Got a chance to do some catching up on your site, what a treat. Your portrait of Gloria Steinem and Holly’s amazing bio was amazing. She is an enormous hero of mine. Anyway looking forward to Joni M. She has such a great face. You have a great week too, Hugs and love!
My heart sings for this book to be released to help so many who need the words & the honest truth, to begin to feel whole & to love & feel loved. I’m honored & grateful to have Joni as my longtime friend-my soul sister. I have every book Joni has written, including the books that Joni’s poems are included. I will add this new book to my cherished collection. This is such joyous news, I believe we all needed this boost. I am thankful for all the talented people in this community. I am so proud of you Soul Sister Joni- I love you. God bless
Dearest friend, I am so glad during your long read last night, you got to this post. It will be an amazing book to add to the collection. I was going to buy you one, but it is priced reasonably (Mich does this so that the book is affordable for more people). It has already become a number-one best-seller on Amazon’s list. This is one I will buy for a few people I know. It has many of my favorite authors on its pages and people from all over the world. Mich is a dear friend, and she has done a tremendously beautiful thing with this anthology. She is an advocate for abused and battered women in a shelter that she has been supporting for years. This is an enormous part of what this book represents. This book is being sold all over the world, and much of the proceeds will be going to help abused girls and women in this shelter. I can not believe her determination and her generosity to stamp out abuse. Just like you are an advocate and strong supporter of this cause my friend. Thank you smj for your sweet words, I truly love and miss you. I don’t know when we will get back to Washington, but you have been on my heart as of late more than usual. I hope we can have a conversation soon. Send my love to everyone in the family, and thank you for being my sister. It is a sad thing when things are so painful that you can not have a relationship with any of your genetic sisters. You have filled an empty gap for more than 2 decades now my friend. I love you, Janet.
The work that you and Michelle are doing are making a difference Joni! Thank you for speaking for those who can’t. Love you! ❤
Dearest Tiffany, Thank you for your kind words, as you have touched my heart. Mich has made a difference with this book. I am just grateful to play a small part as a contributor. I think with the times and women losing rights we have fought for; things may get much worse for women than they have been in a long time. I pray that doesn’t happen. I love you right back, Tiffany!
Reading every beautiful soul’s comments was such a soothing balm for me this afternoon. Much love to you Joni & your incredible community of writers. I am lucky & blessed to have this site to be included in your writing world. We will catch up soon Soul Sister.
Dearest Soul Sister, we have so much to talk about. I have missed you terribly, and your sweet words are a balm for my soul. I look forward to catching up with you. I think I sent my text to the wrong place. I will send another soon, I would love to catch up next week. I love you, my dear friend. Our entire family is filled with joy for your happiness.