Awkward Moments Bloom, Smartview Stories Book 1

By Sandy Jahmi Burg

Awkward Moments Bloom, Smartview Stories Book 1 features the Poplar Family. Eight-year-old Wendy is struggling at her new school. When we are in an awkward moment, it is often difficult to imagine something positive rising from the experience. Wendy shows us how she has learned to use drawing to help her process her anxiety. Her family supports her by slowing down and creating space to listen. They are not helping her solve anything. They help her trust her own process. Our Inner Companions work together from within Wendy. Lo-and-behold, awkward moments do bloom!

Welcome to the first of many books in the series Smartview Stories, a self-empowerment book project for children and adults ages 9-99! Our emotional literacy stories help unlock this instruction manual and its hidden language. Our body and brain are always wanting our well-being. We can learn their language. Body sensations, emotions, images, thoughts and gestures are all ways our body uses to communicate with us. This language reveals what is going on inside of us and around us. Over time, with practice, a mutual trust develops within us. We see our life with fresh eyes. New possibilities emerge.

Within each Smartview Stories book, our three stories are Flesch-Kincaid Reading Level Grade 3, supplemental pages are Grades 4-6. The characters and events portrayed in our books are fictitious and based on real life experiences. There is an understanding that human beings are living processes. Each book includes three short stories featuring one family. A fourth story features our Inner Companions. Based on neuroscience concepts, the inner companions help illustrate our inner world.

The Poplar Family consists of Papa Sam age 37, Mama Dawn age 38, Stryder age 11, Wendy age 8, Levi age 4, and their dog Casey. Together, they enjoy biking, camping, art, singing and music. Mama Dawn and Papa Sam learned Focusing shortly before Stryder was born so that they could raise their kids with these skills. They are a typical busy family and feel blessed to be using Focusing as a way of life in community with others.

Our books bring our inner world to life via three Inner Companions: Hummah, Sleuthin, and Ashamaya. These three aspects of being human help us experience and live our life. They are with us at every moment. As we become more aware of them, we understand HOW to better support ourselves, and those around us, in all types of life situations. May this trio of inner companions inspire you in your journey toward thriving.