a little joy to the other side of the world
i had the rare + humbling opportunity this morning to share one of the books that i authored + illustrated with several young students in Ukraine.
yes, THAT Ukraine. they were located in central Ukraine, to be exact.
i was nervous. i wanted to make sure i said the right things. in no way did i want to offend them.
those sweet faces.
were smiling. bubbling with enthusiasm.
their teacher was FULL of love. FULL of joy.
i began sharing the journey of being a writer. i explained that i never told myself, “i can’t”, and how that evolved to “i can, but just not yet!”
small + simple lesson with a HUGE outcome.
we talked about why writing from the heart is so very important. i let them know that each of them has a special message of significance. when you have the desire to articulate your hopes + dreams, suddenly, those stories evolve and take on new meaning.
voice…it empowers + creates a platform on which to stand. it doesn’t require any fancy words or phrases. what matters is that it is YOURS. your own. no one can tell it as you can.
while i read Liv’s Seashells to them, i slowed my typical speed and carefully articulated each word as if they were precious diamonds. Liv’s story is about a young girl who is fascinated with the seashore. she collects shells. many different varieties.
but the shells she finds the beauty in are the broken ones. the ones that are cracked, worn, chipped, and discarded. she gathers + brings them home to set on her night table as keepsakes. she whispers affirmations that what may seem broken to others is only a reminder of what makes us each shine differently.
as the pages turned, i watched their responses.
joy. compassion. respect.
we interacted, giggled, and finished the book. they found the hidden firefly on each page, symbolizing the spirit of the book. the treasure of being an illustrator is the ability to make words come to life through colorful drawings, despite any language barrier.
one of the last pages has always been my favorite. i told them that i was going to read it twice + to listen carefully…
Liv, the main character, said, “don’t let anyone take away your chance to sparkle + shine for what you really are.”
we finished our time together + said heartfelt goodbyes. before leaving the call, i told them i was proud of their bravery. with a final wave, they were gone.
as i exited the call, i put my head down + quite honestly was speechless. here was a group of students meeting to listen to a simple story from an unknown author from the united states. they didn’t know me + i didn’t know them.
but our hearts knew. knew we needed each other at that particular moment in time. it was more than just a distraction from the headlines + the fearfulness of their country’s circumstances. it was meant to be. for all of us.
friends.
life is short. we’ve heard that before. yet we keep on moving at a rapid pace, only to end up weary + spent. nothing left to give.
i encourage you to find a way. a way to give generously to others. there is no brighter + more energetic way to bring light and life.
so go. go on. get up. use your voice. act. be the joy.
