sitting in a starbucks the other day...i heard something that absolutely broke my heart...
a child was sitting with a grown man...the child was about 5 years old or so...the man...an adult...if you could call him that...not sure if it was the father of the child...but i am assuming so...i actually hope that it wasn't...
the child was coloring...almost done...the child with such pride...picked up the picture to show the adult male the fabulous picture that was being created before his eyes...
the adult male responded "you can't draw outside the lines," he said. "leaves are green, and you don't make happy faces on the sun."
are you kidding me??
i had to do everything in my power not to walk over to this man and slap him...
the child looked so rejected...so lost...so unsure...i could see the once happy face turn instantly to sadness...what could possibly possess an adult to take all the life out of a picture perfect moment? why would this child possibly want to try again?
i have always strived to be unique...but also...i have always strived to encourage uniqueness...why be like everyone else? who says you need to color within the lines?
take my nieces for example...they are sisters...but as different from each other as nite is to day...but i love that...i love that they don't try to be alike...i love that their parents have strived to encourage them with their own unique strengths and talents that they have...
they dress differently...they have complete polar opposite personalities...they have different hobbies...what a great way to be...your own unique self...
i think sometimes...people get so set in their ways...they think they need to be a certain way, dress a certain way, act a certain way...because it is what is expected...or because it is the "norm"...who created the "norm" anyway? what is normal?
why be predictable? personally...i think it's a lot more fun to be mysterious...a little...unpredictable...
normal is boring...unique...is...well...different...
why not be the best you can be? meaning...be the best "you" that you can be...not who someone else thinks you should be...
the little boy in starbucks walked over to get some napkins...right by me...i leaned over to him and said..."i saw your picture...i think it is pretty cool"
as his smile grew...he sauntered back to his table...pulled out a new sheet of paper...and started on his next creation...who knows...he could be the next picasso!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
That is one of my biggest pet peeves! Hands down. Kids haven't learned to be thick skinned like adults are suppose to be. I have an aunt that just ripped her son in two because of a pair of colorful pants he was wearing. He's a teenager and you could tell how much his mom's comment killed him. He of course played it off like it didn't matter (like any teenager would) It was obvious it hurt. I wish adults would just shut-up sometimes and realize that kids need to be kids and experience the beauty of the world WITHOUT the cloudy perspective a lot of adults have.
julie -
i SO agree with you...unfortunately...this hits adults as well...people do not realize how words can kill the very dream that someone has...
what ever happened to "if you have nothing nice to say...don't say anything??" ;-)
Post a Comment