Personal Relationships

If you follow me on Instagram, you may see these random quick cartoon character drawings I do for kids in the school. I share them not as some "Hey, look at what I do" sort of visual boast, but instead to share the daily inspiration I have been given with you.

A few months ago when I started working back in the school as a school aide for my daytime work, I was assigned to work with this one class of special ed kindergarteners. This was a challenge not only because of the age, but also because of the special needs. Many of these children made huge messes in the lunchroom and almost none of them knew how to sit at the table. Some would even try to wander out of the cafeteria.

In my experience with many of these New York City Public School kids, most of them lack discipline. So I started off with my role as "The Enforcer" and around the school I quickly gained a level of respect with the children that other teachers and even administration were not able to obtain. However, I quickly learned this will only get me but so far especially with this one special needs Kindergarten class.

One child in particular seemed to be un-reachable. He was naturally a strong little boy and was very aggressive. He consistently would hit his classmates and even on several occasions would hit his classroom teacher. About a week or two in, I realized with this child I cannot meet aggression with aggression. And so one day when he got mad and banged on the lunchroom table(as he often did), I laughed and said how it looked funny. This seemed to confuse him and for once I had leverage to speak with him. On this particular day the weather was not good so the children were not going to go outside but instead stay in the cafeteria.

On these days there were various games and puzzles, as well as art supplies to engage the kids in another recreational way. And on this particular day I was inspired now that I had leverage with this one child I ask him if he wanted me to draw something for him. He asked me to draw "Thomas" the tank engine. As a child and even to this day, I have never been a fan of Thomas so I knew that he was a train with a face on it and the number one on the side, but couldn't really figure out the exact details. Regardless of the fact, I attempted to draw Thomas, and he loved it! For the first time he sat completely still and quiet, engaged in coloring in the Thomas drawing I had just made.

Every day afterwards this child asked me to draw the same Thomas, in the same position. Over time other kids would ask for drawings and before you knew it, I had 5 minutes to draw 12 different characters for various children. And eventually the first child started to ask for other characters other than Thomas.

Just this past week, a co-worker came to me and said "Instead of drawing these things every day, why don't you draw them once and we'll make copies." At this moment, I realized just how special it made these children feel to get their own personal drawing done right in front of them and replied to my co-worker "No. It's kind of the magic of being with the kids. It shows them a sense of love and how important their worth is."

I share this story because I have been inspired that this is the way we need to be with all people. And in this current age of technology, and social media we have in many ways lost a sense of our personal relationships with people. Friends, and families alike.

- The Symbol

- All is Love