Little David was a character created out of my own physical limitations; I had been disabled for quite a few years with a chronic back condition that seemed to worsen after surgery. My mental state was up and down because I was a person who loved to be active and walked for miles. Then not being able to do that again was hard to deal with and then having to walk with a cane was the utmost downer. I really did feel crippled.
As time went on I learned to adjust and work with what I had left to work with. My mental attitude changed over time and I became more positive in dealing with my permanent physically limited condition.
On a religious note I realized that I am not my body, I am not my limbs, but I am the spiritual being inside this thing called a body. If nothing physically on my body worked my spirit and my mind would still function and be sound and alert. I am the person within this body with limitless possibilities. My mind can go places that my body would never, ever be able to go.
So after the poem Little David was written my mind wondered on children who were physically limited and I realized that they too suffer depression and sadness because they can't get around like all the other children.
How hard it must be for them not being able to run and play, climb the monkey bars etc. What could be going through their heads on a daily basis? What deep depression could have them down in the dumps of despair?
Sitting at home one day the thought came to me when I finished writing this poem.
Something about this poem was special but at the time I didn't know what it was.
So I sat and read it over and over and like a light bulb turned on in my head a voice said, "This is a story."
I went to my craft room and just started drawing and painting. At that time I wasn't sure what was going on concerning this poem titled, Little David. This was a special little boy but what made him special. What made him unique?
Like a woman on a mission I painted my drawings night after night for about two weeks. After finishing the illustrations at the end of the poem Little David says a prayer. I worked on this particular illustration for a couple of nights until I got it just right and it had a feeling of; this is it.
Going back over the illustrations Little David is sitting in all the scenes and at the end of the poem I said to myself, "Oh my gosh, he can't walk."
Like lightening striking inside my head but gently, little David suffered a physical limitation but throughout the making of this picture book their is a smile on Little David's face. He was learning to be happy with what he had to work with and what life had dealt him.
That is how we should all be, deal with life's disappointments and circumstances; not placing blame or pointing the finger and not saying, "Oh God why me?"
In life we are dealt many blows some good and some bad, and what you learn to realize is this; the sun shines and the good people and the bad people. With life there comes adversities, heartaches, ups and downs but it's how we handle what life has dealt us.
So Little David is completed and the book was published online through Lulu in September 2004. I haven't had much success with it's promotion as of yet but 2007 will be a better year for "Little David."
One thing I can say is this, Little David is a heartfelt simplistic rhyming children's picture book that anyone who picks it up will enjoy reading, young and old alike. It has a message in it for parents and teachers who work with physically challenged children.
Our children need to feel wanted and important; they need to feel that their lives mean something. It's up to the parents of these special little ones to let them know that they are loved and their lives are unique. We as parents and teachers must make them feel that they are the most important child on this planet.
Children have feelings too, they have good days and bad days. Sometimes they feel like being bothered and sometimes they just want to be left alone. We need to know when to listen and when we need to talk. We should always reach out to them in love and with a great big hug.
Children are little people who sometimes need their space but always a guiding hand and loving support from those who take care of them.
The creating of Little David was a work of love and it will be a series. Next in the Little David series is called, "Little David Is Having A Really Bad Bad Day."
Like I said in life we have ups and downs, good day and bad days.
Little David is not different he has bad days too.
Little David was published September 2004 and is still available online for purchase at: http://www.lulu.com/content/78280 Get your copy today for the special children in your life.
