The colors pulled together in streams of pattern. They curled and pointed and shaded making life. The picture was a person it had blood reds to make up the insides. Blues, Browns, and green to show innocence through the eyes. But most of all it had Blank spaces ready to be filled with the future. I, being like a child on Christmas morning stared at the artwork with glowing eyes and a jaw dropped mouth. It seemed I wasn’t only looking but I was living in the creation it caused my heart the beat fast and loud and my breathing become heavy.



“It’s beautiful isn’t it Krisee?” said my teacher Mrs. Breadfest who had been standing behind me. I blushed being as shy as I was and just nodded bashfully. “You know that everything around you is art right?” She paused and winked at me. “It is just unappreciated and overlooked like the sunshine shinning through baby leaves, dancing flames above a dripping candle, even every freckle on your nose is art.”



I argued it politely with a silly grin on my face “But ma’am every art piece has to be made by somebody and drawn out from inspiration right?” She laughed kindly and reached to her neck pulling the silver chain up revealing a Silver cross and held it out to me. I brushed my fingers over the smooth metal and was reminded of the stories her Sunday school teachers told her when she was little about Jesus and the cross but that was all fake, she thought.



“It does have an artist though Krisee, God created it all and his inspiration was love and passion for something more because he knew he had the authority to make anything happen-” She said this with such joy but then saw how uncomfortable I was and looked sad. “-and God created you with the same love, he made you with talents and a purpose that you can be passionate about, maybe he gave you the ability to love art for this reason?” I shifted my feet and peeked up at her and whispered “If he loves me so much than why do the other kids make fun of me?” I got angry “Didn’t he make them too?” I said feeling close to tears.



“Oh honey” she said giving me a big hug. “He did make them too but the devil like to manipulate what god makes and turn it into something for his benefit. He twists them and hurts them and that’s why they hurt you.” She gave me another tight squeeze and then stood back but kept eye contact. “If anything the best thing you can do is pray for those who hurt you because god is the only one who can help them escape what the devil has done to them.”



I raised an eyebrow and pursed my lips. I had never thought about it that way before. I just assumed that’s how those kids were. “How do you know all this?” I asked quietly.



“It’s all in the bible Hun, and it’s also from being bullied when I was around your age. I felt the exact way you do but then I had a friend invite me to a Sunday service at her church and ever since I can’t stop going.” She said putting her arm around me and walking me back towards the class with a smile.



“Going to church?” I pondered this for a few seconds. “Which church do you go to?” I asked with interest

“Grace Community” She answered then ruffled through her big leather purse and pulled out a brochure and handed it to me. “You’re welcome whenever Krisee” She smiled and then walked over to the class and announced it was time to get back on the bus.



I looked at the picture of a cross on the front that matched the cross on her necklace and smiled. I just might have to check this all out for myself I thought to myself then ran over to Mrs. Breadfest’s side and got her attention and thought for a second for something to say and remembered something she had heard a billion timed before “God Bless you Mrs. Breadfest.” I said then ran out and hopped on the bus and as I looked out the window I saw a smile on the teacher’s lips as she closed her eyes and mouthed “Thank you lord”