If you give a boy a needle and thread he will stitch up some clothes for his gnome. And then a pillow for his baby sister. And then a bag for his treasures. And time will pass with that quiet hum of a child being busy. And that boy will learn to create for himself.
If you give a boy a paintbrush and sit with him side by side he will spill color and love into the universe. He'll watch the hues run and bleed. The boy will get lost in a rainbow. He'll paint himself a story.
If you give a boy some costumes, some open ended dress up clothes that don't tell him what to be... he'll disappear into another world. His voice will change accents. His smile will fill with mischief. The one boy will become five different characters. He will walk in the shoes of royalty. He will be free to be.
If you teach a boy to bake, his world will be sweeter. He will know how to satisfy cravings. He will unlock the alchemy of eggs and flour and heat and chocolate. He will taste tradition and lick the spoon of memory. He will know the joy in feeding himself and those he loves.
If you teach a boy to sew on the machine he will unlock the mystery of production and figure out the magic of patterns. He will know self sufficiency. He will blend creativity and utility and yearn for more. He will feel power. He will ooze pride.
If you teach a boy music he'll build scenes out of notes. He'll belt out Gene Kelly tunes while tap dancing in puddles. He'll pick and strum out his thoughts. He'll beg to go to the ballet and announce he's putting on a salsa show. Rhythm will be his forever companion.
If you show a boy how to garden he'll become friends with the earth. He'll practice patience first hand and understand how to nurture. He'll taste dedication. The boy will feed his soul and pass it on.
If you teach a boy to love animals he will tread lightly on the earth. He will use his hands for helping. The boy will know trust. And the trust will open his heart. He will connect and consider. He will exude compassion.
Why give a boy a toy gun when every stick will become one anyhow? Must we arm our children for desctruction, can't we teach to use their arms and hands for creation? Why limit a boy to footballs and trucks and plastic toolsets and stories of talking cars? What's the point of plugging him in day after day and tuning out the richness beyond the wires and cords that bind us? Why have him choose between baseball and basketball and leave out ballet and ceramics? Why box him up in blue when you can paint his path in rainbows?
Give a boy the gift of an open mind and a creative spirit and the whole world will thank you.
