"You Are Special"

While reading this book by Max Lucado to Lydia the other night, I was struck by how relevant it was to me.

Punchinello was on his way into Wemmicksville, a tiny village of wooden people.  Each Wemmick was different.  Eli, the wise woodcarver, had made them that way.  But now Eli was sad.


The Wemmicks were giving each other stickers.  Those with gold stars thought they were better than those with gray dots.


Every Wemmick wanted to have the most gold stars. but no one wanted to have the most gray dots.


Punchinello was sad.  He always had the most gray dots.


"You'll have the most dots again this year, Punchinello!" the Mayor called down from his balcony.  "Unless...you can reach this gold star."


Punchinello climbed up on a stack of boxes.  He tried to reach the star.  "whoops!"


Punchinello tumbled to the ground.


"He's not a good wooden person," the Wemmicks said as they gave him more gray dots.


Punchinello was very sad.


Then Punchinello saw Lucia.  Stickers didn't stick to her.  They just floated to the ground.


Lucia smiled. "They don't stick because I care about what Eli thinks of me, not what other Wemmicks say," she said.


"I don't want these dots to stick to me," Punchinello said.  "I'm going to see Eli."


"Hello, Punchinello.  It's good to see you," Eli said.  
"You know my name?" Punchinello asked.
"Of course I do.  I made you," Eli replied.
Punchinello liked Eli right away.


"Why are you so sad?" Eli asked.
"Other Wemmicks think I'm not a good wooden person. They gave me these dots, and they won't come off."
"Punchinello, you are special to me.  That's all that matters," Eli said.


"The stickers only stick if they matter to you.  Trust what I say, Punchinello, and they won't stick."


Eli's love made Punchinello feel special. As he waved good-bye, he promised to come back often.  And when he did, it was just as Eli had said--the gray dots began to fall off.


How many stickers do I let stick to me?  How many stickers have you let be stuck to you today?