Vendor Writing

A Life-Changing Decision: What Would You Do If It Was Up To You?

BY NORMA B., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR

Eyes once clear and bright looking forward to what the future held

Now filled with tears hazy and obscure

Full of fear and anxiety

Unsure of what lies ahead

Ears that hear what I wish I hadn’t heard

I’d love to change it if only I could

I have a mouth and the ability to speak

That’s NEVER been a problem for me

But who would I talk to, what would I say?

So many thoughts racing in my mind today

How do I possibly explain what I don’t even understand

It strikes with no regard to gender age or race

Men, women, and children

It DOES NOT discriminate

Often there are no signs and symptoms until it’s too late

No words to express the gravity of what’s in store

I find myself speechless

Shaken to the core

For the victims of this relentless scourge

Limbs once strong steady as a rock

Now rendered weak barely able to walk

Numb at the thought of what’s in store

More tests and experimental medicine

of that I can be sure

All in hopes of a miraculous cure

There are no guarantees

Some side effects may be worse than the disease or so I’ve been told

How do you decide what to do when faced with such a choice?

Those you love are shocked to hear the news

Each one has an opinion of course

what they think you should do

To you it ALL just sounds like noise

Still it’s a decision you can’t avoid

It has to be made, no time to waste

What would you do if the choice was yours to make?

There’s no way to know with certainty what you would say or do unless or until it happens to you.

I pray it NEVER does!

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Community Changes

BY DANIEL H., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR

We are feeling a loss in our community. Recently I have written about Second Story Cards. Annie Greene, a member of the company, has recently left and will be missed. She worked with Reed Sandridge to assist in creating the cards and stickers which are asked by the artist to contribute to its making. Please remember that they are dependent upon the support of the community, and sold in 30-plus states. Thank you Annie for being part of our family. Also, I am a part of Daybreak Arts.

We have been informed that Emily Wertheim will be leaving after seven years of working side by side with artists and the community. She has been an invaluable member who has contacted businesses for displaying art for sale, cataloged and photographed art for artists, and showed her love and support by contacting individual artists on a personal level. She worked with the Frist Art Museum, and sold her art in shows throughout the United States. She is going to be taking an opportunity to move up to building a new way of creating works of art. From family members of the artist community who have grown to know you, we wish you happiness and success. Please remember that 80 percent of proceeds from sale of art goes to the artists at Daybreak Arts. Artists at Second Story Cards receive the benefit of purchases of cards and stickers. Thank you to our community family, and the Contributor Newspaper for giving us a voice offered by the First Amendment.

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Unsafe Bus Station

BY JULIE B. CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR

The Nashville bus station is turning into an unsafe space. There’s graffiti on the walls of the women’s restroom and there is nothing done about it. Obviously no one cares if this goes on in bus station bathrooms. Why do we have security in our bus station if they’re not going to do their jobs? Why do we have cops sitting in the bus station if they’re not going to do their job that we pay them to do? If this is going to go on in our bus station why aren’t we doing something about it? I will tell you why, because everyone is so worried about the homeless sitting and lying everywhere that they are not doing anything about the real crimes that are being committed in our bus station and in our city. Even the dog park is not safe anymore. Someone got their wallet stolen today. Our city is not safe and it is not because of the homeless; it is because of the criminals. I guess it is true that cops just sit around and eat donuts.