Bumping into obstacles, but, you’d relaxed, and conquered it, and that, is the RIGHT attitude you need to have, tackling the rest of your life, translated…
As the teacher announced the subjects, the classmates all started, swiftly, moving about their drawing pages, only I, stood, dumbfounded, not knowing where to begin.
Having taken a semester of sketching, I’d thought, that the “plant still-life” would be easy, but, at the first class, the instructor gave us a hard and complex mushroom. Other than the countless number of bumps on the fungi, the background of grasses had, killed off at least, HALF of the population of my neurons.
from the papers…
There was the thought, of running the hell out of the class in my mind, but, I’d thought, that I’m here, and there was NO way I was going to waste away an entire afternoon, doing nothing, so, finally, I’d picked up my color pencils, and chosen that smallest fungus in the photo handed to us by the instructor and started drawing it out.
The following two hours, I’d spent on, calculating the lines, the colors, the angles, and during which time, I’d gotten out of my seats, to walk around, to see the progresses of my classmates, and finally, I’d been able to, settle my flustered mind back down. Although I’d progressed very slowly, the mushrooms that were forming on my paper had, helped me find my touches back.
not my photo…
After the art class, I’d gotten home, had supper with my daughter, and, I’d not done what I’d usually done, sat down in front of the television to watch the news, I couldn’t help, but wanting to, get back to my artwork again. When my son and husband arrived home, there were, more colors on my paper. Not only did I get the awes from my family, even I, who’d not known how to start the pictures feel, that the mushrooms I’d drawn, were, radiant.
With that boost of confidence, I’d started, drawing things that I loved. It’s just, that wanting to excel too quickly, not wanted to follow the books step-by-step, I’d, become, stunted again: the background in the photo was too complex, if I’d made small changes to it, would it look better, and easier for me to continue drawing?
My daughter encouraged me, to try out different things, that if I’d messed up, I can always, start over again, but, approaching my elderly years, I’d lacked the stamina from before, if I’d, tossed my hard work before away, there’s no telling if I might get discouraged, and end up, dropping all of it.
Seeing how quickly the due date was approaching, not daring to draw anymore, I’d finally, bravely, started, added the darker colored trees, then, the green bushes behind those three mushrooms, I’m not completely satisfied with my work, but, finally, I’d completed, my very first artwork on plants.
Last week, I took my completed picture to class, the skies were darkened, drizzled on, but, my moods were lifted, like I’d finished, something great.
not my photo still…
As I entered into the school, a stranger bumped into me, turned to say to me, “Wow, you look happy!”, as I was, striding toward the class, I’d finally realized, that don’t know when, I was, wearing that grin on my face. Yeah, with this art class that started late in my life, I’m truly, blessed!
So, despite the troubles you’d bumped into, you’d forced yourself to complete the work, and with that completion, came that sense of achievement, and, you now have something to be proud of, something that you, you alone finished, with nobody else’s help, so, you should, feel proud of you.
Life, the Obstacle Course 