The economy isn't what it used to be. Many people are struggling just to get by right now. A friend called me and told me that it breaks his heart that he can't afford to buy his little girl the toy that she wants at walmart.
I told him, "Don't take her to Walmart, take her fishing or to the park. Play a game with her or color or watch a movie together". When we look back at our childhood, our fondest memories are not of the things that our parents bought us from the store, it is the moments that we spent together.
This past weekend, there was a lot that I could not afford to buy my kids. But we had a lot of fun spending time making candy sushi and watching movies. And while the toybox may not have gotten more full, the photo album and memories did increase.
Showing posts with label kids. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kids. Show all posts
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Story of two pictures
I spent the first six years of my life in foster care, living with the family that would later adopt me. In foster care, I had a case worker and counselors. At such a young age, the couselors do not have kids tell them how they feel, they have kids show them by drawing pictures.
When asked to draw a picture of my home, I drew a giant birds nest with several baby birds in it and the mother bird looking after her young. The counselor explained to my Mom that this meant that I felt comfortable and cared for. The baby birds have a safe home to live in and each one is fed and cared for by the mother bird.
When asked to draw a picture of my family, I drew several small stick people and two larger ones with long lines for arms. I'm sure my mother was a bit puzzled as to why I saw her as having such long arms. The couselor explained that the arms represent love. It is the arms that pick us up when we fall, that give the hugs when we need them and even when we don't. The arms carry us when we are unable to walk and feed and dress us.
To this day, I cannot think of a better way to draw my mom than with big long arms that could easily wrap around all of the smaller stick figures and still have room for more.
I love you mom and I will miss you always.
When asked to draw a picture of my home, I drew a giant birds nest with several baby birds in it and the mother bird looking after her young. The counselor explained to my Mom that this meant that I felt comfortable and cared for. The baby birds have a safe home to live in and each one is fed and cared for by the mother bird.
When asked to draw a picture of my family, I drew several small stick people and two larger ones with long lines for arms. I'm sure my mother was a bit puzzled as to why I saw her as having such long arms. The couselor explained that the arms represent love. It is the arms that pick us up when we fall, that give the hugs when we need them and even when we don't. The arms carry us when we are unable to walk and feed and dress us.
To this day, I cannot think of a better way to draw my mom than with big long arms that could easily wrap around all of the smaller stick figures and still have room for more.
I love you mom and I will miss you always.
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