I had a friend in high school, who could draw. He ...

2008-07-04T08:52:00.000-04:00

I had a friend in high school, who could draw. He was born to draw. All he needed, for inspiration was: 1. something that left a mark, & 2. a blank space [to leave a mark on].
He had his own “font” & everything. A gal from his youth group “misspoke” his name once, & it came out “Spot”. He RAN with it. He’d sign stuff to me “Spot, the finely groomed mutt”. He was like you [that is to say disgustingly talented]. He could cook [went to culinary school], play Saxophone, & draw. He handed in his home work with Spot written in the old sixties “hippie” lettering at the top. I’ve gotten letters from him where he drew on the envelope!
So, right about now your wondering why this is a comment about your blog post.
Because he would draw, on a single piece of paper for hours. Only to crumble it up & throw it in the trash can at the end of class [you always new the new teachers by their reaction to Scott, & his drawing. “are you paying attention?!? What did I JUST say! & he would repeat –word for word- the last 15 minutes of the lecture. Then lean over, & resume drawing]. Well, when he threw them out I’d ask: “why’d you do THAT?”
And he’d say “it sucks. it’s ugly –it’s fugly [separate that the right way, & you’ll know what 2 words are being put together] the person’s head is wrong, or the tires are too big, or the dreadlocks don’t look right [too “poofy” or big]. I reached into the trash can & pulled every one back out. “I like it. And don’t put them in the trash anymore, give them to ME. I love that you can draw, I think it’s cool. Every one you draw has a bit of “you” in it. And that’s awesome/amazing/wonderful. You inspire me to draw. I enjoy watching you draw. Neither you, nor your drawings are trash. …I know some people close to you treat you like trash… but I think they are fools.”
He seemed to draw more than ever after that conversation, & I still have most of the drawings [my sister-in-law lost the one on a blank tape insert he made for me. He drew on the tape & the insert. He was a Deadhead, gave me a copy –that I later got the disc of- of “Spaces” by The Dead called: Infrared Roses. I love improv.]

I guess we all need to realize that Jesus says the same things I said to Spot, to all of us. "Don't throw your giftedness out [or yourself]. I want you. I think you're beautiful/wonderful/a piece of priceless art, that my dad made. [and He doesn't do "reprints"]

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I had a friend in high school, who could draw. He ...