Dot. Dot. Dot.
Today is an exciting writing day for me. It is a day known around the world, mostly among teachers and children book lovers, it is International DOT Day! A reminder that EVERYONE has the opportunity to “Make your mark!” This day originated from Peter H. Reynolds’ book, “The Dot.” One of my personal favorite books, and also one of my favorite children’s authors. (link to more about this at the bottom of today’s post.)
“Trust in your abilities by being brave enough to ‘make your mark,’ it begins with a small dot.”
“Each day is a NEW day – a blank page – a chance to make it the BEST DAY YET!”
The story is about a little girl who doesn’t believe she can draw. Her teacher suggests she “just make a mark.” Begrudgingly, she draws a dot. The teacher sees that it is the beginning of something bigger. She sees potential. She asks her to sign her name to her new work of art. The next day she arrives at school to see her teacher had framed her dot art, and decides she can expand her drawing to bigger and brighter art…
Just make a mark. Sign it. Seems easy enough. But I am going to imagine the life of this amazing teacher before the book started. I believe it’s safe to assume that this art teacher had patience, experience, and wisdom. She had lots of people who had made a mark on her life. I make the assumption because of the way she address the little girl’s frustration and self-doubt. She had the choice of making a mark, which would result in self-discovery or leaving a wound, that would result in a life-echoing scar. She simply asked her to make a mark, and the little girl did, maybe a little sassy, but she did it. And then the teacher sees a completed assignment and asks her to sign her name, of course this shocks the little girl, but she does as she is asked. Not only did the teacher see her assignment as complete, she frames it for the whole school to see! This starts the journey of self-discovery, to the art of seeing the beauty in every single mark.
Let me pause here and ask you some questions, take some time to ponder:
- What makes your heart light and free? What comes natural to you?
- How can you use the answer to the first question to make a mark, make a difference to those around you in your daily life?
- Who might you be making a difference to?
- Why do you want to make the mark on the ones around you?
The what, how, who, and why is unique to each one of us. No one will have the same answer. That is the beauty of who we are. Only you can make YOUR mark!
There are TONS of ways to make your mark, to use you art, gifts, talents, abilities to impact those around you and the world. I think sometimes we try to “go big,” but that’s not reality, and we are being cruel to ourselves. If we live our lives with the belief that everyone has the opportunity to make a mark in at least one person a day, this is what will be life-changing. And is living in truth.
This past week I have compiled a list “make your mark arts,” maybe one of these will light a spark…
- Art of Seeing
- Art of Being
- Art of Sitting
- Art of Being Still
- Art of Quietness
- Art of Listening
- Art of a Kind Smile
- Art of Simple Kindness
- Art of Loving for Babies
- Art of Loving for Toddlers
- Art of Loving Elementary Kids
- Art of Loving Pre-teen Kids
- Art of Loving Teens
- Art of Loving Young Adults
- Art of Loving Adults
- Art of Loving the Elderly
- Art of Drawing
- Art of Writing
- Art of Painting
- Art of Sculpting
- Art of Music
- Art of Creating
- Art of Colorful Outfits 😊
- Art of Seeing the Possible
- Art of Teaching
- Art of Learning
- Art of Community
- Art of Connecting
- Art of Collaborating
- Art of Celebrating
- Art of Praying
- Art of Advocacy
- Art of Caring
- Art of Receiving
- Art of Grief
- Art of Shepherding
- Art of Encouragement
- Art of Snail Mail
- Art of Giving
- Art of the Next Step/Moment/Present
… The list goes on. I have a solid belief that everyone is an artist! Think broader than what the world defines as “art.” Art, as defined in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, is “a skill acquired by experience, study, or observation; a branch of learning.” We all have life experience, we all know what makes our hearts and minds and bodies feel alive and re-fueled. We have to slow down, take a minute, and think, how do I want to make a mark? What will my life be remembered by? What will be left for those who I love to find? (Just an idea: I am a list maker and tend to have a journal or notebook for everything. But as I have gotten older, I have found that always having something with me to write/draw/scribble in has been a fun thing. 1. Because then all my “notes to self” are not all scattered. 2. I always have something to do. 3. My niece and nephew are always drawing, so it’s an instant gallery of their art. It doesn’t have to be fancy or expensive- I usually pick up journals when I find fun ones. Hallmark sales, Hobby Lobby, Family Dollar and Dollar General have some good ones, local gift shops also have great ones)
Make your mark. This is not to be heavy. It is to make us breathe deeper and a little longer. Think about what we say, do, and think. So whether it is a box of art supplies or a box of postcards or a content quieted heart willing to “be with,” I encourage you to “MAKE YOUR MARK. BRAVELY SIGN IT. WITH CONFIDENCE!” It all starts with a small dot.
Book of the Week (in addition to Peter Reynolds Books😊): “The Art of Miss Chew” by Patricia Polacco – I LOVE LOVE LOVE this book! Art and color has always been my escape/stress reliever. When my mind is going 1000 mph, it instantly slows it down. When I struggled with school, I doodled, and then of course had to pay for it later, but that’s life. This book is such an important book if you have or know a child that struggles with schoolwork, but everything creative is their outlet! (I love most all of her books, some are hard to find, because they address REAL life. I have found most of my collection on ThriftBooks. Two others that address learning struggles/challenges: “Junkyard Wonders” and “Thank you, Mr. Falker)
2 Comments
Susan Hughes
I love all the places you find your inspiration for each post, Anna! Your creativity, your passion, your desire to inspire others all show up so clearly in your blogs, and I found this one especially powerful, in part because THIS is the newest way you are making YOUR mark! You are a beautiful dot.
Indeed! it's Anna
thank you! 💕