Welcome to Imagine That on Wednesdays.
Kids have a unique way of interacting with the world. (Granted, I don’t have children, so this is purely from observations.) They seem to have this need to touch everything around them, whether out of curiosity or the desire to leave their mark. “I have been here.” They see the world and want to add to it.
A new family recently moved into the apartment above mine. They have an 8-year-old boy. I haven’t seen him around much, but the other day I came outside to find he had left something out on the stair rail.
A caterpillar and ladybug made of Play Doh. Not only did this little boy create something, but he wanted to share it with the world. His little act of sharing brought a smile to my face.
A butterfly and...?
These little sculptures won’t stand the test of time like some of the great monuments. The little boy won’t get an award, and probably won’t see much praise outside of his parents. Does he know he made me smile? No. The point is I know. At this age, lack of recognition won’t stop him from lighting up the world with his creativity.
Somewhere along the line as we age, we trade the joy of creation for affirmation. If we don’t get any? Sometimes we hide our little treasures away, afraid no one will appreciate them except us. There is a difference between rejection and lack of affirmation. Our fear of one bleeds into the other until we make choices based on those two things.
Imagine if you released your treasures. Do you decorate the world? Do you let your light shine? Do you leave a mark and never return to see if anyone appreciated it? You might never know it, but some small acts can change a person’s day.
What about you? Has something made you smile, but you never got to tell the creator? Do you live for affirmation, or do you live to decorate the world? I love hearing from you!
Angela Wallace, Author 
This is a great reminder for all of us. It’s so easy to forget that we don’t always need affirmation, that as long as our creations make us proud they are well worth the effort.
And yes, kids have a very unique way of viewing the world. My five year old daughter is very honest, and her observations always make me smile.
Stacy, I couldn’t agree more. 🙂
Hi, Angela. I believe you have hit upon an incredibly important but little-known truth. As we adjust to the world and the personalities around us, a little bit of us can die each day if we spend too much time trying to fit in, be accepted, be recognized. If we were all to seek out and explore our gifts to the full extent that we could, regardless of outside recognition, I believe that this world and all its people would be a much different and much better place.
I, for one, am glad you reminded me 🙂
Great way to put it, Tim. Thanks for commenting. 🙂
How cool!
Kids have such a unique take on the world and create for the pure joy of creating. Like Stacy said, that’s a great reminder to all of us. My children never cease to amaze me with their imaginations and observations.
Thanks for sharing this 🙂
Oh, kids! I love how they observe and explain the world around them. I have two of them — one is five and the other is nine years old. They inspire, amaze and drive me crazy every single day! Those little minds can process and spit out the most outrages ideas 🙂 And I indulge in discovering something new all the time.
Kids are wonders to behold. Too many of us grow up and grow out of the joy of creating si mply for the joy of creation. Thanks for reminding us to stop & smell life’s simple roses along the way.
That is a really nice outlook Angela. I think you pointed out something we all forget to some degree as we get older. Funny how your young neighbor will never know his small act inspired you to write a blog about him.
The closest thing I can think of off the top of my head that was a way to share without recognition actually has to do with the Bible. While in the military, I traveled a lot which meant staying in motel rooms rather often. As a habit, I started leaving money in those Bibles they keep in the rooms. To my way of thinking, anyone that is desperate enough to open it probably needs the money more than me. Hope that doesn’t come out wrong. What I mean is most Christians would have their own Bible to read, so if someone opens the one in a hotel room, they are probably needing help of some kind. Maybe God will guide the right person to find the money. That is my hope anyway, though I’ll never know the results. You just never know what that small act may do for someone else.
That is a great story, Susan. I agree, anyone in a hotel room who turns to that Bible is probably in a really bad place. Thanks for sharing that! 🙂
There was a time when I was trying to load groceries in my car in a total downpour and a woman ran to my side and started helping me get the bags from the cart into the car – and then she was gone. I never got a chance to thank her, but I remember it well.
On the flip side, I enjoy doing things for others just because…It’s nice to get the effort noticed, but certainly not a driving force. Maybe that’s why it is sweeter.
Diana, that reminds me of those Liberty Mutual commercials where one good deed starts a chain event of ones. Those little acts of kindness are hard to forget. 🙂
What a lovely gift he gave the world. Kids are the coolest – they act from the heart and this little boy must have a very big heart to share something he made. Cool beans.