Every corner, every wall and even center of the Art Academy are celebrating and dancing with joy as they feel honored to share their space with the beautiful paintings depicting love, life and blissfulness. If you are true admirer of art, I bet you cannot keep your heart untouched by it, as it seems that the painter himself has put his heart out and poured all his feelings and then used his colors and brushes on the canvas to give it a form. These are not paintings, they are actually emotions beautifully wrapped up in beautiful sketches and bright colors.
It is a dream come true for both of us, we could see we could feel but still we are unable to believe that the day for which we dreamt every single moment and strived day and night for last so many years, has finally arrived. In a flash I went years back and recollected all the memories from the past. Aditya my seven year old son was exceptionally good at art; his imaginations, creativity and sense of colors just surprised me many a times. Awestruck I used to admire and appreciate his small colorful creations. From the very early childhood years, I could sense the artist which was dying to come out of him.
In spite of having good hand at drawing he was very slow, as compared to other children of his age, may it be then eating food, doing class work, finishing homework or any other household chores. Getting complaints from the class teacher was a routine. This is what bothered my family members including my husband as well, that how he’ll be able to compete in the outside world. Hence they tried all the methods to help him gain his speed. Oblivious of the impact on little heart, many a times they were very harsh and their negative statements seem like an arrow coming out and piercing the small heart leaving him with all the pain.
All this really bothered me and I kept on thinking that is being fast really that important? Even more important than any child’s emotional health and self-esteem, which was crumpled and when I see his face I feel as if someone has stamped foots on small buds and crushed them restricting to turn in flowers forever. Gradually I observe that he started trying hard to gain speed in all the activities, but at the same time he lost himself and forego all his interests for art and drawing.
I felt really sad and sensing the seriousness of the situation and its effect on my little one I decided to handle things in my own way. Firstly I started appreciating him for his small achievements and then gradually tried to divert his attention towards his all-time favorite activity drawing. Not trying to amend him at all, I stood up with him accepting him the way he is, completely ignoring what everyone around said and reacted. He soon gained the momentum and engrossed himself in paintings once again with all his wild imaginations and creativity.
Today I am really overwhelmed to see the outcome of his untiring efforts and my complete support for him. Tears roll down my cheeks, when I see people admiring the art and overhear them appreciating his paintings. You’ll be surprised that today also he has not gained much speed in other activities and I am so happy that now no one talks about his speed, as his passion for art has over powered everything else.
I am so grateful I learnt the right lesson at the right time; that everything comes in a package. If a child is creative he is supposed to be slow. And if we ask him to be fast that means, we are asking him not to be creative. I feel fortunate to save my child from losing himself in the game of running faster than the co participants and winning the race. I feel proud to be a mother of a child, who is not a part of this never ending race, rather he is wise enough to patiently admire, absorb and assimilate the beauty around.
Don’t you think, being a parent it becomes our responsibility to make sure that our child grows in an emotionally and physically compatible environment. Taking care of only physical part by providing them the best of food, education and recreating activities doesn’t complete our role as a parent. Allow them to be they are, let them laugh, cry, play, fight and be sad also. Let them live their life in their own natural way. Why to ask them to be like someone and crawl through their entire life, when they really can fly high with their own colorful wings. We all know that no two creations are similar; still we put all our effort to fit our children in our self-created mental picture of the best child.
Don’t stretch them to that extent, that when you release they loose their original beauty and innocence. Love them unconditionally, support them completely, have faith in them, their capability and their dreams too. I am sure you all will share my feelings the day when you’ll witness your little ones creating their own space. You’ll really be a proud parent when with your little understanding and co-operation they are able to reach their own beautiful destination through their own created path.
Just watch them quietly and appreciate them when they carve their own stones and craft beautiful creations out of that!
3 thoughts on “Fly High With Your Own Wings!”
Very well written Pooja Sharma.I agree to every word.I wish i can be a good mom and let my son open up his wings to accomplish what his heart desire.
Thanks lot! We all are good moms. Moms can never be bad one. What we have to take care is let’s be unaffected by what people say and follow what our Heart says!
Beautiful written…