Creative Distractions

Much like David in Stitches: A Memoir, as a child I would often find solace in drawing when I was upset my something. Specifically I remember often when I was  punished for something (being mischievous as my mother would say), I would draw many sad faces all over my paper or reenact a more dramatic version of my punishment with my dolls. Usually after all that I would then become so distracted by what I was doing I would forget about the punishment I would start drawing happy things I would begin either trying to make clothes for my dolls or try giving them different ways to wear what they wear now.

I believe these activities shaped my life in a way that,  now when I'm older and something upsets me, I usually try to distract myself. I no longer draw or play with dolls, but now if I had a bad day I'll come home and perhaps make a skirt for myself. My creative outlet has becoming sewing and knitting, which perhaps was fueled by my liking of dolls and all the unique clothing each doll, In my opinion this is similar to David Small who clearly took solace in drawing and using his imagination, and then went on when he was older to write and illustrate novels. Based off of this it's east to assume that most children take their childhood escape and will usually allow it to develop into a lifetime skill or hobby.

The Big Blue's Clues Debacle

I significantly remember not having school one day and my mother taking me to my grandmother’s house, at my grandmother’s house she gave me a bunch of books. As a child I loved books and reading which my mother encouraged greatly so it was a really nice fun day. Especially since my grandmother always had that candy bowl filled with delicious mints. After my grandmother’s house we went to my aunt’s house, this was always fun for me because I was able to spend time with my favorite cousins. On this particular day my cousin was cleaning up her room and I had arrived and sat down with my bag full of books while I was sitting down she put a book down in my direction. I assumed that this book was for me and I put it with the rest of my books in my bag. After she cleaned up we spent the day playing games and trying to prank my other cousin while he did the same to us. When I got home I put all my books away to read later. My favorite of the pile was this particular Blue's Clues book, I remember re reading and enjoying all the flaps you could open. I recall going to my cousin’s house a month or two later and bringing the book with me so they could see how much fun it was. When I pulled out the book to show it to her she had an angry look and I didn't understand. The reason for this was that she had been looking for the book for a while and couldn't find and she was angry that I had "stolen" it. I was confused because I wasn't the type of person that stole things, I explained that I had thought she gave it to me but she didn't believe me she and my younger cousin didn't talk to me for a while because they were so mad. I remember them leaving me to sit alone and then seeing them in the living room reading the book together without me. I felt really bad and didn't know what to do. I don't remember how much time went by until she forgave me but I remember her offering to let me borrow it. Either our mothers settled it or she forgot about how angry she was.

This memory stands out to me because it was the first time my cousin didn't talk to me she said she wasn't my friend anymore. As a child that was one of the worst things you could say to someone. I Over time both of us grew to laugh at the memory and she told me she didn't even read the book much before.

After this happened I learned to always ask people "are you giving this to me?” I remember my mom telling me this after I told her what happened. According to my mother the only person that was giving me books that day was my grandmother. Looking back, as a child I often had moments like this where things would be a misunderstanding because I made sense of things myself and if it made to me sense, I did not feel the need to ask someone about it.