This is not something you can tell a chicken. “Do something cute, as cute as a button!” They simply do not have an interest in doing anything other than what they want to do.

If it happens to be cute, then that’s wonderful. If not, then that’s too bad…for you. This is particularly true when you need something to write about.

“Do something cute. I need an idea for a new story!” I said yesterday evening.

They just looked at me quizzically and went back to their much more important chicken activity which was eating their last sunflower kernels before going up into their coop for the night. It is very difficult to convince a chicken of anything when they are eating.

“Cute is for buttons,” is what they would have said if they knew what a button was.

Shoelaces they know. “Shoelaces look like earthworms.” That is what would be written in a book titled “Everything A Chicken Needs To Know” if there ever was such a book.

Here is the point of all this: chickens keep hoping. Just because a shoelace doesn’t change into something to eat today doesn’t mean it won’t be something to eat tomorrow, or in a day or two, or in a week or two.

So they test my shoelaces from time to time. Particularly if I’ve tied them in a different way. A loose floppy loop always offers hope they have somehow turned into earthworms!

But I’m not so sure people are the same as chickens in this regard. It is much too easy to label and package people, and then once labeled and packaged, we consider them unchangeable.

We are often not as good as chickens when it comes to giving people a second chance. Sadly there are also times when we won’t give ourselves a second chance.

Yet over and over my chickens will test my shoelaces to see if maybe it’s the day when they finally turn into earthworms. It never has happened…yet. From their perspective it could happen any day.

People can change for the better, and for the person you may have labeled and packaged, it could be today. To be honest, it is more likely to happen before my shoelaces turn into earthworms!

Believe it or not…brace yourself…while you’re waiting for that neighbor of yours to change, somewhere close by there might be a different neighbor waiting for you to change.

So just like a chicken, don’t give up on your neighbor or yourself. Gracie is always the first to examine my shoelaces and to give them a test peck. Then the others have to give their test pecks too. It’s as if the others are thinking, “Just because they didn’t turn into earthworms when Gracie pecked them doesn’t mean they won’t turn into earthworms when I peck them.”

We might think, “Silly chickens!” But I have to admire their hopefulness. Gracie and the others never give up hope and continue to believe in the goodness which is inherent in all of creation.

My Life With Gracie made me wonder if maybe shoelaces really could turn into earthworms.

Just so you know, particularly if you are a regular reader, last Saturday’s post went out, was pulled back, went out again, and finally was pulled out again! I wasn’t completely pleased with the story part and then I wasn’t pleased with the illustration. If I’m able to get them right, then I will repost. To be honest, I’d rather share quality than quantity, so you may not see quite as many posts right now. In other words, I want to make sure the time you invest here is worthwhile.
Each post shares a glimpse into my journey as a writer and illustrator. Every “Like,” “Follow,” and “Comment” is truly appreciated!