So I decided to take a much needed break and enjoy the sunshine with paints and my 2-year-old. I have my paints ready and set out some for Kestan with his own book. Ahh, great...everything is perfect. The birds are singing, not a cloud in the sky, the flowers are in bloom and I'm enjoying a clean patio (that we worked all weekend on!)
But, Kestan had other ideas. He wanted to paint on mommy's paper. At first I could feel a sense of resistance creep up. "But this is my journal," I thought. I took a deep breath and let go of expectations that this was going to be the perfect moment for creating.
As we started painting together, this experience turned into a new assignment for my class participants, which included encouraging them to explore their unique brush strokes.
In fact, Kestan gave me a great idea on how to make cool strokes with an old toothbrush!
I could have easily given up, put all the paints away and gotten frustrated that my perfect moment was ruined. But instead, letting go of the idea that I must find the perfect moment for creating, I ended up discovering new things about my little boy and myself. I learned that I still have tendencies to be uptight, despite my practice in letting go and implementing more play into my life. And I was reminded, once again, that Kestan is my true teacher.
We both got lost in the moment - together. We played. We used our imaginations. We had fun! And we created something that is imperfectly wonderful.
Your Personal Reflection: Do you wait for the perfect moment to create? Does that moment ever come? How can you practice creating more in the middle of things, while letting go of perfect?
I've been looking around your creative journal entries recently, and bought a clean new journal to start my own... I was really excited but haven't opened it yet! I think I want it to be this "perfect" collection of "art" pages when I really should just start and see what happens!
ReplyDeleteMaybe I'll have a go when I get home tonight...
haha I know this one well!!
ReplyDeleteThe minute my litle one spies me with my journal...PLEASSSSE I want YOUR special book!! haha.. I journal in secret now!! yours looks great though!!
found you through the lovely inner toddler blog...ohhh, it is wonderful in the land of your blog. love the inspired teachings of this wee one! love the photo in a post below of you sitting, writing, next to yellow grass..love all your colors and creations. x
ReplyDeleteAparigraha (non-attachment) is a difficult yama to learn but the more I practice it, the easier it is in letting go. Funny that I was taught all about "sharing" when I was younger, but didn't really "get it" until I started studying the science of yoga. :)
ReplyDeleteoh, how I love this post! "We got lost in the moment - together. We played." Beautiful! :-)
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this.
Letting go of 'perfect' is very hard! Thanks for sharing your beautiful story.
ReplyDeleteI let go of perfect after my kids came along. I enjoy the most imperfect times for creativity and creation with the kiddos, and those are always the time where more of our true creative selves seem to come out
ReplyDeleteWonderful lesson! And you know what? the pages you created together are fabulous, especially the right side with the magenta swirl on the sea of orange. Yummy!
ReplyDeleteOh, this is so familiar! I always allow my children to paint/draw/etc. on my page, but it is HARD! It takes a really conscious effort not to say "hey--paint on your own page." I have to breathe through that moment every single time, but I'm always happy I did. Nice post :).
ReplyDeleteI love the outcome of this imperfect sharing.
ReplyDeleteThis is so beautiful and inspiring...there are so many times when I just bite my lip and let them do what they want...but I do some times get caught up in trying to have them do things the way I want it done...this is such a refreshing reminder to let go! Hope you are doing well!!
ReplyDeleteSuzy