Rick Allen

Fountain Hills

I paint beautiful women! I write about love and stuff! My first book is on Amazon. It is a road map to creating your own book.

Articles

Rainy Day Picnic

1 day ago | medium.com | Rick Allen

ADAPTABILITY | FLEXIBILITY | 25 CHARACTER TRAITS | TINY TALESA reflection on AdaptabilityThe class was ready. Sandwiches packed, blankets rolled. Miss Tara said, “We’re going on a picnic!” The class cheered. But then the sky darkened, and thunder went boom! Rain slapped the windows and puddled on the ground. “Aww… Noo…” groaned the kids. Miss Tara smiled. “Let’s try something new.” She spread the blanket on the classroom floor. They sat in a circle, passed out the food, and told stories.
I Can Do That!

2 days ago | medium.com | Rick Allen

INITIATIVE | LEADERSHIP | 25 CHARACTER TRAITS | TINY TALESInitiative means choosing to help or try something new without being asked. After painting time, all the brushes lay messily in the sink. Miss Tara was helping Ronnie with his smock. Milo looked around. “I can do that,” he whispered. He rolled up his sleeves, filled a tub with water, and started scrubbing. One by one, the brushes looked clean again. When Miss Tara turned around, she had a big smile.
Jump, Talia, Jump!

3 days ago | medium.com | Rick Allen

JOYFULNESS | POSITIVITY | HAPPINESS | 25 CHARACTER TRAITS | TINY TALESJoyfulness means feeling happy and sharing that happiness with others. During free play, Talia found the hopscotch squares chalked on the playground. She stepped into the first square. She jumped once. Then again. Soon, she was giggling, her curls bouncing with every hop. “Come on!” she called. A few kids joined her. Then more. They clapped and chanted, “Jump, Talia, jump!”Even Miss Tara joined, hopping and laughing.
Please and Thank You

4 days ago | medium.com | Rick Allen

POLITENESLS | RESPECT | KINDNESS | 25 CHARACTER TRAITS | TINY TALESPoliteness means using kind words to show respect for others. Snack time was Lily’s favorite. She reached for the apple slices — but so did Mateo. They bumped hands. “Oops, sorry,” he said. Instead of grabbing, Lily smiled. “You go first.” Mateo grinned. “Thanks, Lily!” She nodded. “You’re welcome.” Miss Tara, watching nearby, said, “Politeness is really powerful. It makes people feel good.” Lily hadn’t done anything big.
Leo’s Loud Day

5 days ago | medium.com | Rick Allen

SELF-AWARENESS | EMOTIONAL CONTROL | 25 CHARACTER TRAITS | TINYTALESSelf-awareness means noticing how you feel and choosing what to do next. Leo loved to laugh and be silly. But today, he got really loud. He talked over friends. He made silly sounds during story time. Miss Tara gently touched his shoulder. “Leo, can you check in with yourself? What’s going on inside?” Leo blinked. He put a hand on his chest. “My voice feels… big today,” he said.
Benny’s Warm Spot

6 days ago | medium.com | Rick Allen

LOVE | THOUGHTFULNESS | CARING | 25 CHARACTER TRAITS | TINY TALESLove means doing something kind, just to make someone else feel happy. It was cold and wet outside, and Benny’s coat was still damp from the walk to school. He hugged himself and sat by the window. When story time came, he looked for his spot on the rug. But something was different. His blanket — the soft one with stars — was already there, spread out just for him. He looked up. Nora winked. “You always get chilly,” she whispered.
The Cupcake Test

1 week ago | medium.com | Rick Allen

SELF-DISCIPLINE | PATIENCE | HONOR | 25 CHARACTER TRAITS | TINY TALESSelf-discipline means waiting, even when you really don’t want to. After lunch, Miss Tara placed a cupcake in front of each child. “Don’t eat it yet,” she said. “If you wait until I come back, I’ll give you two.” Ezra’s eyes went wide. Chocolate frosting. Sprinkles. His favorite. He tapped his fingers. He sniffed. He almost took a bite. But he crossed his arms and waited. When Miss Tara returned, she smiled.
What’s in That Hole?

1 week ago | medium.com | Rick Allen

CURIOSITY | DISCOVERY | WONDER | 25 CHARACTER TRAITS | TINY TALESCuriosity means wondering about the world and asking questions kindly. During nature time, Ezra spotted a tiny hole in the garden. He crouched low. “Miss Tara, something lives here!” She smiled. “What do you think it is?” Ezra thought. “A mouse? A beetle? A fairy? A big spider?” Other kids came over, whispering guesses. “Let’s leave it safe,” Miss Tara said.
Why We Believe What We Do

1 week ago | portraitist102.medium.com | Rick Allen

It turns out, belief may have more to do with comfort than with truth. We don’t talk enough about why we believe the things we do. Not just what we believe — but the mechanism, the motive, the quiet contract we sign in our minds when we say, I believe you. Let’s start with a bit of etymology. If you trace the word believe back to its roots, you’ll find something curious. It doesn’t point directly to truth or fact. It means, at its core, to be comfortable with or to be satisfied with.
The Broken Button

1 week ago | medium.com | Rick Allen

HONESTY | TRUTHFULNESS | 25 CHARACTER TRAITS | TINY TALESHonesty means telling the truth, even when it feels hard. In the dress-up corner, Liam loved the shiny red firefighter coat. One day, he pulled too hard — and pop! A button flew off and rolled under the table. Liam froze. He wanted to hide. But then he took a deep breath and went to Miss Tara. “I broke the button,” he said softly. She looked surprised, then smiled. “Thank you for telling me the truth, Liam.