Recently, we had our three grandchildren spend the night with us.
It is always a great joy to have them with us and the time together creates great memories and, often, lessons and thoughts about life to ponder.
As I was helping my three year-old-grandson get dressed on Saturday morning I pulled his t-shirt over his head.
As soon as the shirt popped into place he reached behind his neck and said, “Put the labels away, Boppa!”
The tags on the inside neckline of his shirt were sticking out and he did not like that at all. As I thought about it I realized this wasn’t the first time I had heard him say this.
He did not like those tags, or labels as he called them, sticking out of his shirt!
Recently, I began taking an online class called, “Mastering the Craft of Creativity.” I posted about it just a few weeks ago.
One of our assignments was to take 5 photos from our life and study them. We were asked to write down what we see in the photo, the actual things that are within the frame of the picture.
Next, we were to begin to look “behind the frame.” What are the stories behind the photo that begin to come to mind as you study the photo?
It is an interesting exercise and it brings back memories that make you smile and laugh as well as those that you may not want to remember but they need to be remembered.
One of the memories from the this exercise with one of the images is very vivid.
As we would travel in our old, white Ford station wagon and trailer as you see in the picture, mom would always encourage us to bring things along that would keep us busy.
Naturally, we would also do family activities like play the “alphabet game” and other games designed to make the trip go faster.
I would often bring books to read or my baseball card collection to study the players or to decide which cards needed to be traded to add value to my collection.
As with many of you of my generation, my two shoeboxes of baseball cards were eventually thrown away by my mom after I had moved out and she didn’t see a need to keep them. I’ve let that go, though. It doesn’t bother me anymore!
My older brother, Phil, would bring along a sketch pad or a notebook so he could draw.
I remember that he used to love to draw flip books, those little notebooks where you would draw figures in the corner and then flip the pages and it would look animated.
He would also draw different scenes of towns or people or whatever he could come up with in his mind.
I always thought it was really cool what he was able to do as I watched him. I wanted to do it is well so I would ask him for a sheet of paper.
Usually, he would give me some paper reluctantly after mom or dad told him he had to give me “just one sheet.”
Slowly I would begin to attempt to draw similar things to what he was drawing.
It just didn’t work. My scratching didn’t look anything like his at all.
In my frustration I would resort to drawing piles of boulders or rocks. That was the extent of my ability to draw.
Once when we were being introduced to some friends of our parents, mom and dad were asked to describe us.
Mom said, “Phil is our artist, Dave is our athlete, and Tommy loves flashlights and trains.” Younger brother Tom was still pretty young at the time and trying to figure out where his passions were.
While those labels our mom gave us are true there is much more to each of us.
As I studied the photo I was surprised by how quickly that memory flooded back.
Older brother Phil is the creative one. As I pondered taking the online creativity class I remember having that very thought. This is a class he should take not me.
Those labels that had been applied to me and my brother so many years ago were sticking out. They were being an annoyance and they needed to be put away. I’m an athlete. I’m not an artist.
Mom never said I wasn’t an artist and yet, somehow, I translated her message that way. I have lived in the label of not being a creative.
It takes courage to look at our labels and see how they have affected us in our lives.
What are the labels that were applied to you at some point in your life and how do those labels continue to affect you today?
It takes courage to put away the labels and to begin to explore who and what you are and not who and want you aren’t.
What labels do you need to put away today?
1 Peter 4:10
Have a STRONG and COURAGEOUS day!
HaHa, I was always supposed to be a girl according to my mom….all I ever needed was a dress! Amazing what memories do come flooding in when you get older and see a picture or reminisce about the times gone by. YOU were quite an athlete for sure, remember your playing with the Athletes In Action or something like that, always proud to call you a Buffalo boy. Your college days were quite astounding also as I remember. Thankfully I never did wear a dress, and have hopefully outlived that label! Another great blog my friend!
First of all, let me say, Craig, that I am very impressed with your memory. I did play with Athletes in Action. I do believe, however, that your memories of my college career appear to be a bit fuzzy! I will always be proud to be a Buffalo boy! Love that town and its people! I would agree wholeheartedly that you overcame the label your mom wanted you to have! Thanks for being a faithful reader and commenter, Craig! I appreciate it more than you know!
Dave