She sold art for 25 cents...and received something priceless
Not long ago, a friend found this note in her mailbox:
Hi Neighbor!
Your down-the-street neighbor Stella (age 5 ½) will be out in our driveway at [street address] Avenue on Wednesday [date] at about 5:30pm selling her artwork for 25 cents apiece. You’re getting this $1 bill and accompanying quarter, because we’d love for you to come by and support her and her efforts. Please keep the $1 as my attempt to bribe you into coming by, and use the quarter to pay for one of her creations. While the quality of the artwork is perfect for a 5-6 year old (better, really…but…you’ll see :-) ), Stella’s drive and passion surpass my own. And that’s saying something.
So please, come spend some (our) money, support our [neighborhood] community and meet the budding artist behind the work. Hope to see you there!
Stella’s dad
At the sidewalk “gallery opening,” my friend joined several other neighbors in admiring Stella’s artwork and showering her with praise for her commitment to show up and follow through.
Just imagine how 5 ½-year-old Stella must have felt.
I suspect she felt truly seen – not just for what she made but for who she is. She received the confidence that comes from being loved in the act of expressing herself. She experienced worthiness, from her parents and the neighbors.
These moments — of being affirmed in our essence, not just our output — are foundational. They allow us to build trust in ourselves, to grow and to stand in our brilliance. Experiences like these teach us something essential:
Our greatest value isn’t in what we do, but in who we are
And it’s the power of who we are that fuels the quality and strength of what we do — not the other way around
Similarly, this weekend, another friend posted a request for help to create an experience for her 11-year-old daughter and friend to learn a powerful lesson about investing and trading into their own futures.
As we come off Father’s Day weekend, I give a huge “hats off” to these parents – and to all of you – who truly see their kids (and the other important people in your lives) for whom they are created to be and support them in experiencing this value and power for themselves.
You have a choice: You can tell someone they are valuable. Or you can create an experience in which they feel it firsthand. The second is always more powerful…and more lasting. Choose to uplift someone – young or not-so-young – into the truth of who they already are. Support them in an experience that allows them to feel, deep in their being, the light and power they bring to the world. And then, watch them grow in confidence, self-worth and innate power.