A small wonder!

At my home, there is so much happening 24/7 that I am always whirling dervish from one thing to another and I love it that way. But sometimes it becomes very exhaustive and I have my very frustrating hair tearing moments too. When such moments arrive, I head to art galleries to find some semblance of sanity and attain solace. 


I was at art gallery some days back, admiring work of some of my favourite maestros. The paintings and sculptures were familiar as I had seen them before yet there was something  different about it. Some of the paintings were unfolding new meaning. I was just getting engulfed in that divine sense of new awareness, when I heard some commotion.


There was a boy; barely three, standing next to the desk, trying to draw a painting on the paper, specially kept for visitor artists/students of art. He was accompanied by his mother and a sibling who were keen to leave but the child was not willing. He was so fascinated by the paintings that he was determined to draw one, just like displayed on the wall, "main waisi hi painting banaunga" ("I will paint just like one on the wall") he kept saying and started drawing passionately. 

Subhaan, completely engrossed in his drawing 

There I was, witnessing an innocent, unadulterated  confluence of creativity and seminal discovery of beauty in the eyes of Subhaan (name of that boy). It was such a simple but sacred moment, containing potential to spark magic of marvel and I could already see that in divinity of his face. Subhaan was in that magical moment with totality and his eyes sparkled with hope, dream and were devoid of any frustration or fear. That is the beauty of unclouded mind that only a child till about certain age possesses. 

What impressed me most was the way Subhaan's mother handled it. She did not appear to be very educated but was very patient as she sensed that her son was experiencing something valuable which was worth and essential. She appeared little embarrassed as other visitors seemed bit disturbed with all the noise.

Subhaan, little perturbed by the clicking of the camera

Watching Subhaan brought back so many beautiful memories of my son when he was that age. I remembered how on one occasion, I had to fight with his nursery teacher for teaching that peacock was most beautiful bird. I demanded that she and the school authorities considered letting children explore concept of beauty and have freedom to define what beauty meant for them instead of stifling their aesthetic sense and creativity by enforcing perceptions about beauty and other aspects. I still remember the shock on that teacher's face when I asked her, "what if my son finds an owl or a crow most beautiful?"

Have you ever wondered, how often we miss out on simple, little moments of creativity/discovery that hold great potential for growth? There is beauty in spontaneity which is very important just like the quiet pulse beat that holds essential rhythm of life. We rush our children through life as if it is some race to win! We crush their innocence, creativity and curiosity, corrup their minds and mould them to become robots, equipped to cope with the competition and stay ahead in life. 

When I left the gallery, I was experiencing great high and was enriched by Subhaan's spirit. I prayed God that he follows his heart even when he grows big and becomes a great artist. He had all the potential in him and I had just seen its evidence.