Marla sat in a folding chair at the edge of the playground with a sketchbook in her lap. A little boy stood behind her, his chest against her back, his chin on her shoulder, watching a face slowly appear, line by line, on the page below.
There were swings to be swung, balls to be kicked, sand to be dug but the boy chose Marla.
“I wish I could draw like that,” he sighed.
Her pencil stopped and she looked the boy in the eyes. “Shaun, you can,” she said. “Art is something you learn, like math. I’ll show you.”
And she did. Pencil, pastels, charcoal, watercolors, markers. Realism, cubism, impressionism. Shading, contrast, negative space, rhythm.
Marla was a student at the local college, a teacher to me at daycare. She told me I could. And I still do.
So many years later I sit under a tree drawing and my littlest girl, the one with my face, watches silently. There are bikes to ride, dolls to dress, bubbles to blow but she chooses this. “I wish I could draw like that.”
“You can,” I say. “Art is something you learn, like math.”
And I show her all that Marla showed me.
In the lobby of Lamar Baptist Church in Arlington, Texas Sunday night, Marla surprised me. Her smile took me back to the playground, the sketchbook. Her voice is still miraculously without accent – how is that possible in Texas? And she’s still making art – producing a documentary at the moment.
“Do you remember when..” she asked.
Of course I can. I still do.
One sentence of yours can stick with a child all his life. Make it a good one.
Noelle says:
Thank you for posting that. 🙂 As a teacher getting ready to head to work, and for many other people who interact with children…and adults, it’s a great reminder that we never know who we impact and that the small stuff counts too.
Southern Gal says:
I needed to hear that this morning as I struggle with homeschooling. I needed an attitude check. My boy will appreciate the fact that we took a short break and I read this. Thank you.
Tanya says:
I am a mother. I am wife. I am a nanny. I am a daughter….the list goes on..you get the picture. One thing I value each and every day is my ability to show someone I believe in them. ‘Yes you can’ comes out of my mouth daily. ‘I believe you can’ is part of my regular vocabulary. Thank you for this reminder that even on those discouraging days, believing in someone and telling them you do, will make all the difference.
You are right
One sentence of yours can stick with a child all his life.
Marla Taviano says:
Our church just started a refugee tutoring program. Last night was our first night. 20+ Somali kiddos grades K-12. Smiles, laughter, homework help, encouragement. Lots of “you can do this.” God is so good. I was made for this. So blessed.
p.s. Marla is a good name.
Carol J. Alexander says:
In a world with so many negative messages, it is so important to speak positivity into a child’s life. Wonderful message. Thanks for sharing
Jessika says:
I am doing my first Early Childhood Education practicum this semester.. this is good advice to remember, anything I say to those kids could have a huge impact on them, good or bad. I want with all of my heart for it to be good. Kids are so precious!!
Kris says:
What a gift she gave you that day.
Beautiful.