Leann’s Spirit

By Jane McBride Choate

(Based on an experience from the author’s family)

I am a child of God (Children’s Songbook, 2–3).

Leann liked preschool. She especially liked the days when her mommy was the parent-helper.

“Today we’re going to talk about our bodies,” the teacher, Mrs. Whitney, said after all the children had gathered in a circle on the floor. “What are some of the things that our bodies can do?”

Everyone took turns naming things.

“Run.”

“Eat.”

“Play.”

“Sing,” Leann said.

Mrs. Whitney smiled. “That’s right. Our bodies can do all those things and more. We’re going to make life-size pictures of ourselves.” She gave a long sheet of white paper to each child.

Leann lay down on the paper, and Mommy traced an outline of her. While Mommy helped the other children, Leann drew in hair, eyes, ears, a mouth, and a nose. She colored her shirt and jumper blue just like the ones she was wearing.

Leann looked at the picture of herself. Something was missing. “Where’s my spirit?” she whispered to Mommy.

“Your spirit is part of you,” Mommy said, “but it’s not something we can see.”

“But I want to draw my spirit so everyone will know that I have one.” Leann chose a yellow crayon and drew a circle around her picture.

After all the children had finished coloring, Mrs. Whitney asked them to show their pictures and to name the parts of their bodies.

Soon it was Leann’s turn. She held up the picture of herself so that the other children could see it. “And this yellow circle helps me remember that I have a spirit,” she said, pointing to the yellow circle.

She smiled at Mommy.

Mommy smiled back.

Leann knew that her spirit wasn’t really a circle, but the yellow color reminded her that her spirit was happy because she was a child of God.

• Jane McBride Choate is a member of the Big Thompson Ward, Loveland Colorado Stake.

Illustrated by Julie F. Young