Learn about anything I want? Really?
Okay, I want to learn to draw. What 10-year-old little girl wouldn’t?

The next week the special program instructor arrived with an art book. I was ecstatic. I poured myself into the lessons. I shared every step with my favorite teacher. She told me the parts she liked the best. She arranged for the program instructor to take me to an art museum. At the encouragement of my teacher, samples of my artwork were given to the curator. The next week the special program instructor returned to my school with her interpretation of what the art expert thought of my work. I was so excited, Grandpa would be so proud.

The program instructor began slowly, without a smile, “You should focus on math and science. You are good at math and science. There is no future for you in art.”
As she began to list deficiencies in my drawings, my face grew hot, the room turned gray as all color left my view. I could no longer hear. When I was alone and no one was looking, I cried.

I never told Grandpa.

Seed planted.