The Wemmick Story, by: Max Lucado, You Are Special The Wemmicks were small wooden people. These little wooden people were carved by a woodworker named Eli. Elis workshop sat on a hill overlooking the Wemmick Village. Every one of the Wemmicks were different. Some had big noses, others had large eyes. Some were tall and others were short. Some wore hats, others wore coats. But all were made by the same carver and all lived in the same village. All day long, every day, the Wemmicks did the same thing. They gave each other stickers. Each Wemmick had a box of golden star stickers and a box of dull gray dot stickers. Up and down the streets all over the city, people could be seen sticking gold stars or gray dots onto each other. The pretty ones, those with smooth wood and fine paint, always got shiny gold stars! But if the wood was rough or the paint was chipped, the Wemmicks gave dull gray dots. The talented ones got stars, too. Some could lift big sticks high above their heads or jump over tall boxes. Still others knew big words or could sing very pretty songs. Everyone gave them shiny gold stars! Some Wemmicks had stars all over them! Every time they got a star it made them feel so good that they did something else and got another star. There were many other Wemmicks though that could do very little. They got dull gray dots! There was one little Wemmick and his name was Punchinello. He tried to jump high like the others, but he always fell. And when he fell, the others would gather round and give him dull gray dots. Sometimes when he fell, it would scar his wood, so the people would give him more gray dots. He would try to explain why he fell and, in doing so, he would say something really silly. Then the Wemmicks would give him some more dots!!! After a while, Punchinello had so many dots that he didnt want to go outside. He was afraid he would do something dumb such as forget his hat or step in the water, and then people would give him more dull gray dots. In fact, he had so many gray dots that some people would come up and just give him one without any reason! He deserves lots of dots, they would say. The wooden people would agree with one another. Hes not a good wooden person, they would say. After a while Punchinello believed them. I am not a good Wemmick! he would say. The few times he went outside, he hung around other Wemmicks who had a lot of gray dots. At least he felt better around them. One day, Punchinello met a Wemmick who was unlike any hed ever met. She had no dull gray dots and did not have any shiny golden stars either. She was a wooden Wemmick and her name was Lucia. It wasnt that people didnt try to give her stickers; its just that the stickers didnt stick to her!!! Some admired Lucia for having no dots, so they would run up and give her a star. But it would fall off. Some would look down on her for having no stars, so they would give her a dot. But they would not stick either!!! Thats the way I want to be! thought Punchinello. I dont want anyones marks! So he asked the stickerless Wemmick how she did it. Its easy, Lucia replied. Every day I go see Eli. Punchinello asked,Eli? Who is Eli? She replied Yes, Eli, He is the woodcarver. I sit in His workshop and spend time with Him. He asked Lucia,Why do you do that? Lucia told him, Why dont you find out for yourself? Go up the hill and visit with Him. Hes there! And with that, the sweet little Wemmick named Lucia turned and skipped away. But He wont want to see me! Punchinello cried out to her. Lucia didnt hear him, as she was too far away. So Punchinello went home. He sat near a window and watched the wooden people as they scurried around giving each other gold stars and gray dots. Its just not right, he muttered to himself. Then he resolved to go see Eli after all. Punchinello walked up the narrow path to the top of the hill and stepped into the big Woodcarver Shop. His little wooden eyes widened at the size of everything. The stool was as tall as he was. He had to stretch on his tippy-toes to see the top of the workbench. A hammer was as long as his arm. Punchinello swallowed hard and thought to himself, Im not staying here! and he turned to leave. Then he heard his name. Punchinello? said this voice, so deep and strong. Just then Punchinello stopped. The voice said, Punchinello, oh how good it is of you to come! Let me have a look at you. Punchinello slowly turned around and looked at the large bearded craftsman and said, Sir, you know my name? Of course I do. I made you, Eli said. All of a sudden, Eli stooped down and picked little Punchinello up and set him on the workbench. Hmmmmm, the Maker spoke thoughtfully as he inspected the gray circles all over him, Looks like youve been given some bad marks. Punchinello explained,Oh, Eli, I didnt mean to; really I didnt!!! I really tried hard not to. The Maker said, Oh, you dont have to defend yourself to me, my child. I dont care what the other Wemmicks think. Punchinello asked, Really? You dont? Then Eli said, No and you shouldnt either. Who are they to give stars or dots? They are Wemmicks just like you. What they think really doesnt matter at all, Punchinello. All that matters is what I think. And I think you are pretty special. Punchinello laughed, Oh, me special? How can I be special? I cant walk fast. I cant jump. My paint is peeling. I make silly mistakes all the time and I am not a beautiful Wemmick like some of the others. How could I matter to you? Eli looked at Punchinello and put his hands on those little wooden shoulders of his and spoke very slowly, Because Punchinello... you are mine. Thats why you matter to me. Punchinello had never had anyone look at him like this before or say anything so nice, much less his Maker! He didnt know what to say! Punchinello, every day Ive been waiting and hoping you would come to see me, Eli explained. Punchinello looked up at him and said, I came because I met a sweet Wemmick girl who had no marks. Eli said, I know. Lucia told me about you. So Punchinello asked, Why dont the stickers stay on Lucia? Eli said, Because she has decided that what I think is more important than what anyone else thinks. The stickers only stick if you let them. Punchinello looked puzzled and said, What? Eli said, Yes, the stickers only stick if they matter to you. The more you trust My love, the less you will care about those stickers. But Punchinello said, Im not sure I really understand. What you are saying? The maker said, You will, but it will take some time. Youve got a lot of marks. So for now, just come to see me every day and let me remind you how much I care about you. Eli lifted Punchinello off the bench and set him on the floor. Now remember, Eli said as the Wemmick walked out the door. You ARE special because I made you, and I dont make mistakes. Punchinello didnt stop, but in his heart he thought, I think He really means it. And each time he remembered what Eli told him and each time he went to visit and talk with Eli, one of Punchinellos dots would fall off. They kept falling off and soon they were all gone!!! So like Punchinello, we must remember one thing: “I’m special.”
Posted on: Tue, 25 Mar 2014 11:23:25 +0000