The Hands of Children

Having just spent the last few days in the company of my adult children for the Thanksgiving holiday, I am reminded of how important the handmade objects crafted by our children remain in our lives. Our home is full is reminders of the days when their hands were smaller and their creativity was growing and expanding.

My wife asked the children to create art for my office when we moved to Florida from Virginia. My daughter Mary created this painting representing the home where we lived in Norfolk. This piece hung in my office at the college for many years and is now one of the first things you see when you enter our home.

Another favorite of mine is a tableau of family portraits that my daughter created to represent the members of our family. Here is my portrait, complete with beard.

I can hardly express how dear these pieces are to us today. What at the time may have seemed like just doodles have come to represent one of the favorite times in my life, a time when all three children were home and growing up. There are few handmade objects as valuable to me.

Remember that children grow up and move away. Remember that our lives change from day to day, week to week, and that the images of today will help us cherish and remember those other times. And remember to keep and preserve the handmade objects that represent the spirit of those who created them.