My Artist Friend, Evelyn
Evelyn was one of my older friends. When I first met her, she gave me a lot of encouragement and advice in my art endeavors.
After I had known her for several years, she told me this story:
Her father was a painter and she had been very interested in being an artist, too. Her father liked her first painting and encouraged her to do more. He said that she had real potential. She took him her second painting. He said that it wasn't quite as good as the first one but still it showed promse. The next time she went to see him, she found him using her second painting as a palette! She didn't paint again for years after that and then she never did much painting because her dad's action had broken her spirit.
This is not only a sad story, it's a little frightening because it shows how easy it is for us to to do some thoughtless thing that will really discourage our family members or friends. On the other hand, how much thought would it take to know that using your daughter's painting as a palette would be a serious put down for her?
Submitted by
NJ
at 11/19/2005 2:30:03 PM- Mary Lou, that sounds like an intresting story. But, I know what you mean about fearing certain authority figures even though we are outside of their sphere of influence.
Submitted by
Sally
at 11/19/2005 6:21:46 PM- Indeed, a very sad story. Oh, how we can hurt and be hurt simply by not thinking. I surely have regrets in that area and over the years I try harder not to blurt something out or do something that might hurt someone. But, try as I might it does happen sometimes.
When my oldest nephew was born with a cleft palette and lip, I was standing at the nursery window in awe of that beautiful boy. In a few minutes, someone walked up and I heard her say "I wonder what his parents did to deserve something like THAT." Oh my, I knew this person and to this day still trying to figure out how or what had happened to HER to blurt out such hurtful words. I thanked God I was the only family member to hear that.
Submitted by
NJ
at 11/19/2005 8:30:23 PM- Sally, that's a real hurt for you, one that just doesn't go away. We know that birth defects don't happen because parents were deserving of pain and suffering. I can't say I understand the why of it, but Jesus said it was to show God's power. He works in situations like those and brings His own blessing and compensation, something beyond our understanding.
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What a valuable lesson! We were talking about how simple little things done to you in your youth can have a lasting impact. I was talking about a fear I had of a teacher, and I STILL quake when I run into him at the store!! AND IM 60!!! and He's OLD!!!!