Black Girls ROCK Part II

J. Chaney
Oct 26, 2016
2 min read

Just Celebrating me……………

I work in a culturally diverse Preschool Program as a teacher of toddler age children. I also have interaction with the other classes which consist of 3, 4 and 5 year old children. These fantastically fabulous little people come in all shapes, shades, sizes and styles and each day I am in awe of every one of them. The program for the 4 to 5 year olds is state funded and primarily for children who are considered “at risk”. The families have to meet certain criteria for their children to qualify for the program. This means that we see children from a variety of situations. There are some struggles going on. There are some who are dealing with trauma in their lives. There are some who have been displaced from their biological parents and are with foster families. Most of them are in their very first “away from home” daily experience. But every day, I see a light in their eyes and hope on their faces, because the heart of a child has endless possibilities. I also see smiling, proud parents who “ooh” and “ahh” over the wonderful creations that they find waiting in their child’s cubby. Celebrating their babies!

As I go throughout each day, tending to the business of child care, there is one little girl who makes me smile every time! Her family has given her the most wonderful name! She is called “Treasure”. I do pray that this name is a declaration of hope for what she truly is to them and what she will continue to be as she grows. I pray that she will see herself as the living embodiment of all that her name implies. Webster defines the word treasure as: “A thing of great worth; to hold dear”. To that, I say Amen! It is a wonderful name.

This little girl is not in my class. She has never been in my class. But our spirits have made a connection! Every time I see her, I get a special greeting. A few days ago, I went out to the playground to take my own class and she was there with her class. She came running as fast as her little legs would carry her, beaded braids flying out behind! When she got close enough I could see that she was wearing a t-shirt with a caricature of a little girl who looked quite a lot like her with beaded braids and stylish jeans. The t-shirt had three words….Black Girls ROCK! I scooped her up in my arms, giving her a big hug and I whispered in her ear, “I love your shirt!” She giggled and said “thank you!” I put her down and off she ran! I thought of my own t-shirt with those same words. This made my heart glad! Yes, I do pray that she will always see herself in the truth that her name implies.

But we have this Treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. (II Corinthians 4:7)