Children's Artwork

     The day before yesterday, my daughter appeared in my doorway with a frown holding up a folded poster that she had neglected to bring out and share from her backpack. I asked her what that was, prompting her to be quick about it because we were rushing out the door. She unfolded the crinkled mess and explained that it was her entry for the Sight is Beautiful contest and sadly informed me that she had not won. She was quite dissatisfied with her failed attempt. She had put so much thought and effort into it. There were days of coming home from school and hearing her talk about what she might draw and "today I outlined it in permanent marker!" Or this kid is drawing a rainbow or that kid is drawing a shark. And "today I colored it all in and I finished it!" Much enthusiasm from my 7 year old with such high hopes of winning the coveted first prize ribbon. After turning it in, days passed and then weeks. The folded poster came home with her on the Friday and slept in her backpack until that rushed Monday morning. Oh dear, I thought, she is such a darling. When she finally shared with me her artwork of what she thought was most beautiful, I thought I would cry. Silently hushing up the tears, not to confuse her with my emotions, I smiled as big as I could and told her how much I loved it. I truly did. I loved it! It was an endearing expression of her heart and of a very touching subject of family. The most beautiful thing to her was her family. Us, her family. The everyday chaotic, crazy, loving, amusing and sometimes peaceful family. It wasn't rainbows or butterflies...it was her family.

    She saw my happy face and responded with a rather large toothless grin that carried into her eyes. She hugged me and I placed her poster onto my dresser, where other special artworks collect. Later that day I decided to frame it. It needed to be framed, shared as our family portrait. So, I mounted it in a large wooden frame with a mat that I glitterized for this very special artwork. I set it in our family room above our piano and waited for her to notice it when she came home that day. She quietly noticed her artwork and I saw her sitting on the floor staring up at it. I told her how lovely I thought it was and how special it made us all feel. I love artwork because it's a true expression of an individual. It's the uniqueness that makes it so appealing. I love how the boys are all similiar and so are the girls. How she put perspective into the picture with the height of the flowers trailing off into infinity and how our family is linked into that line. I think she truly understands what it means to have a family forever. I am thankful for her and her dear sweet spirit. Aloha.

~Christie