This wonderful piece of art was bestowed upon me by the one I would lovingly one day call my adopted little sister. No, my parents didn’t adopt her, but Callie adopted me.
Callie was a little girl I met at church who wasn’t much taller than my waist and if you would have seen me at sixteen, that wasn’t very tall. We had seen each other only a couple of times when she greeted me with this masterpiece. It was an act of pure kindness. I praised her for her artistic skill and in the weeks to follow found that I was to be the owner of an entire gallery of similar works. For several years after that and until I permanently left for college, I was constantly loved by this little girl and her incredible parents, Mike and Natalie.
Out of all the photos and art that have been hung on the walls of my dorm or set on the top of a desk, this one always seems to make the collection.
Callie, wherever you are, thank you for your selflessness. Thank you for the unfiltered love you showed a skinny, nerdy teenager who was still trying to figure himself out. I wish you happiness and a fulfilling life, and may you continue to bring sunshine to the soul of everyone you meet.