You Are Not the Stain

A Story from The Culture Cre8or

Elder Grace was known throughout town for telling stories that made people think about life in new ways. One afternoon, as people gathered around her storytelling tree where she often went to share, she began with a gentle tone.

“Today I want to tell you about a little girl named Naomi,” she said.

Naomi was a kind hearted child who wanted to please those around her. But one day, she made a mistake. She spilled her juice all over her teacher’s favorite book. Her teacher frowned and said, “Naomi, I've told you not to have open drinks in class. I’m disappointed in you.”

Naomi went home feeling sad and defeated. . She loved her teacher and hated the fact she had ruined her favorite book. That night, she whispered to herself, “I’m such a bad person. I ruin everything.”

And so it began. Every mistake Naomi made after that felt permanent—like a stain that couldn't be washed away.. If she forgot her homework, she told herself, “I’m lazy.” If she argued with her sister, she thought, “I’m mean.”

Instead of saying, “I did something wrong,” Naomi began to believe, “I am something wrong.”

“That,” Elder Grace explained, “is the heavy coat of shame. It tells us that mistakes define who we are.”

One afternoon, Naomi's neighbor—an elderly woman —invited her to help tidy up the porch. Naomi carried out a stack of old books for the yard sale, but one slipped from her hands and fell into the dirt. A brown spot stained the cover.

Naomi gasped. “Oh no! I ruined it!”

The neighbor picked it up gently, brushed it off, and said, “No, child—you didn’t ruin the book. You just stained the cover. And stains can be cleaned or even replaced. The story inside is still there.”

She handed Naomi a damp cloth. Together, they wiped the dirt away until the mark began to fade.

“See?” the neighbor said softly. “That’s guilt—it shows us when we’ve done something wrong, but it can be treated and released. Shame, though, tries to convince us the stain has soaked all the way through, that the whole story is ruined. But it’s not. You are not the stain.”

Naomi’s eyes widened. For the first time, she realized her mistakes didn’t define her. They were lessons—not labels.

Elder Grace leaned forward. “You see children, guilt says, ‘I did something wrong.’ That can help us grow. But shame says, ‘I am something wrong.’ That’s a lie. You are never the stain. You are the canvas God paints on.”

The next day, Naomi approached her teacher with courage. “I’m sorry I spilled juice on your book,” she said, holding her head high. It was a mistake. I’d like to help clean it or replace it.” Her teacher simply smiled, and for the first time in a long time, Naomi walked away with her shoulders light.

Reflection from The Culture Cre8or

• Have you ever carried a mistake as if it defined who you are?

• Can you tell the difference between guilt that helps you grow and shame that tries to keep you stuck?

• What would it look like to take off the heavy coat of shame and instead carry only the lessons you’ve learned?

  
  

From Niki

This story speaks deeply to me because, as a child, whenever I disappointed my parents or teachers, I didn’t just feel guilty — I wore a heavy coat of shame. I believed their disappointment meant I wasn’t good enough, and those messages followed me into adulthood. They grew into feelings of unworthiness, of not being enough.

It wasn’t until I began to pause, reflect, and become aware of the stories I was telling myself that I started to change. I learned to gently replace those lies with truth: I am worthy. I am enough.

My hope is that this story helps you notice the weight you may still be carrying and reminds you to lay it down. Your mistakes don’t define you — your growth does.