Little Bird

Alex got in the mini van after school and pulled out his folder.  He showed me a picture of a bird he made and I said, "Wow, buddy, you did a great job!"  He said, "I don't like it."  I said, "Why?" He shrugged his shoulders and said, "One of the boys told me that my bird was small and everyone else did their birds bigger." I said, "Well, there are plenty of small birds in the world."  He said, "Yeah, but no one else did a little bird like me."  I said,  "Alex, do you want to be like every one else?" He sat there for a minute and said, "No, I'm Alex.  I want to be Alex."  I said, "Okay.  It's cool to do things your own way and not like every one else.  Your bird is different.  That's a good thing.  In a room full of large bird pictures don't you think some pictures of small birds are needed?"  Alex smiled and said, "Yes, it would be weird if there were only big birds."  I said, "See? You shouldn't let one person make you dislike something you've put hard work into."  He looked at his picture again and said, "So you really like my bird?"  I said, "Like it?  No, I love it!"  A huge smiled spread across Alex's face and he said, "Thanks, mom."

It occurred to me that we could all use a lesson in this from time to time; a reminder, if you will.  Let's all remember the little bird picture--and how it is JUST as important as the bigger bird pictures.