Sometimes I have the opportunity to read I Know My Name Is Love to a kindergarten or first grade class, and it’s always a treat, because the children ask so many cute questions. While I was reading to a kindergarten class recently, a little girl raised her hand and asked me how I got to be so famous. Needless to say, this wasn’t a question I was anticipating. I panicked for a second, fearing she would be unimpressed if she knew the real truth about me. Finally, I decided to come clean, and I gently explained that I wasn’t famous. She looked confused, and I decided that I needed to say something more to soften the blow. I told her that, while I wasn’t famous, I had gotten where I was – perched on a rocking chair in the midst of a sea of 5-year-olds – through hard work and by following my dreams. I thought this advice could at least serve her well in future endeavors, since I had all but stolen her chance of telling family and friends that she had had a near brush with fame.

Her simple question prompted me to think of my own definition of famous people. I came to the conclusion that they’re usually not typical celebrities, at least not in my own life. Instead, they’re the people who’ve shown me patience, kindness, and forgiveness, even when I didn’t deserve it. They’ve cheered the loudest at the smallest of my victories, and they’re also the ones who’ve made me laugh out loud…usually at myself. They’ve overcome life’s obstacles with grace, and helped me to face my own challenges. Lastly, their exceptional example has inspired me to get the polishing cloth out after my own character, and has caused me to see that more improvements are needed. I’m always happy when I encounter one of the famous people in my life, but not because I want an autograph or a photo with them, and not because of their outward trappings of celebrity. It’s because they remind me of what I can become on the inside.