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Red Deer writer contributes to new Chicken Soup for the Soul book

The publication celebrates mothers
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Red Deer’s Sandy Kelly Bexon is a contributor to the latest Chicken Soup for the Soul book, The Magic of Moms: 101 Stories of Gratitude, Wisdom and Miracles. Contributed photo

A short story written by a Red Deer woman has new life, after first being published in the popular book series Chicken Soup for the Soul about five years ago.

The story, Turning to Mom, by Sandy Kelly Bexon, is part of a new Chicken Soup for the Soul publication: The Magic of Moms: 101 Stories of Gratitude Wisdom and Miracles.

“It’s a nice sense of accomplishment that they wanted to include my story, because Chicken Soup books are massive,” said Bexon, who is a communications officer at Chinook’s Edge School Division.

“Their distribution is huge. It’s really gratifying and a nice milestone to reach. My work seems to be important or interesting to them.”

The Magic of Moms regathers previously published stories to celebrate Mother’s Day this year. Bexon said she believes only four Canadian writers are in this publication.

Her story is about living through a health scare about 20 years ago, when her daughter was just five years old.

“I’m at a really high risk for breast cancer, because my mom passed away from breast cancer,” said Bexon.

“When you have little kids, that’s what you think of. You’re fearful for yourself, but your biggest priority is what’s going to happen to your kids.”

While going through her own scare, Bexon remembered she had given her mother a journal to document her own experience.

“It was 20 years later when I thought of her notebook, while I was waiting for my test results. I thought maybe there was something that she wrote in there that I would find comforting right now.”

She found some excerpts in the notebook that resonated with her.

“It was as if she was speaking to me and comforting me,” she said.

“My mother found comfort in being grateful for her life and all that she had. She really acknowledged all the good things she was given and had the good fortune of having.”

Bexon said that’s a particularly important message amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We’ve had to sacrifice a lot through this,” she said.

“When I reread the story (Thursday), I thought those are important messages for me, and maybe others, today as well. There are difficulties and challenges we’re facing, but if you can calmly look at the good things that are there, there’s always more to see.”

She was also a contributor to another Chicken Soup for the Soul book about teachers about three years ago.

For more information about the book, visit www.chickensoup.com.



sean.mcintosh@reddeeradvocate.com

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Sean McIntosh

About the Author: Sean McIntosh

Sean joined the Red Deer Advocate team in the summer of 2017. Originally from Ontario, he worked in a small town of 2,000 in Saskatchewan for seven months before coming to Central Alberta.
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