During that year, in art class, we learned a way to draw a pretty picture by covering a blank sheet of paper with patches of color, covering it with a layer of black crayon, then scratching out an outline with a bobby pin. To me, it was like magic, the way the design--mine was a flower--bloomed in full color.
We were to give our pictures to friends or people to whom we wanted to show our appreciation. I thought mine looked a little lopsided, so I cut off the extra and decided to give my card to the most popular girl in the class.
When I happily handed my card to my classmate, she glanced at it and practically scowled, saying, "That's nice." I forgot she'd be getting so many cards that day. Daddy, however, seemed to really like what I made, returning a note: "That smiling heart saying, 'I love you Daddy' made me happier than you know. Thank you, Junie."
And my 3rd grade heart couldn't figure out why I felt so horrible when I read that. I will NEVER, ever, in the future, I told myself, give something just "good enough" to someone that already loves me and give something much better to someone else to gain that person's attention. That may be wordy, but I knew what I meant, because it hurt too much not to know.
