Dear Readers,
I am constantly amazed at the things I learn from my daughter.
A few months back I talked about how I have learned to better appreciate nature because she loves it so much. I wonder if she will love camping (Daddy would love that!) and then I will have to get over my loathing for that one too!
Vivienne has recently discovered the joy of drawing and while it’s not my strength, it’s something I like doing with her. I am an artist, but drawing is not really my jam.
I can’t tell you how much fun it is to discover how much she loves it. I have no idea where she gets it and that’s fun too. It’s a mystery I don’t have to solve, and it’s fun to wonder about it.
When she was first born, a lot of people I love got me “adult coloring books” and they sat there gathering dust I didn’t really think of coloring as something I was going to do despite having it suggested as a method of relaxation.
As it turns out, I like to color and she does too. For her, it’s more about going to a page and making shapes and then turning to the next page, but it’s also about picking her colored pencils to choose what she will color with next. I really enjoy watching her deliberate and decide which color she will use next. I like to imagine her thought process and then it hits me, she probably doesn’t have one, she is probably responding to the color that “speaks” to her and then she just uses it.
I was struck by how quickly my mind was moving to “but the bridge needs to be brown” – I try my best to be intentional with the things I say to her so thankfully I didn’t say it, just thought it, and then just as quickly said to myself, “Who says the bridge should be brown or gray or really any other standard bridge color?” – Why can’t it be pink? The answer – NO reason at all.
We have so much power in the things we say to lift or lower, to limit or expand.- Professor Haston
I could have completely diminished her choice and stifled her creativity based on my own limiting beliefs about bridges.
Yes, I realize that bridges as they occur in nature are not typically pink, but she doesn’t know that yet so why would I take away her joy in making things any color she wants? Not to mention avoid caring about the coloring inside the lines. Who came up with that anyway? Seems like a good time to give that one up too!
Creativity is known for solving problems so in a way, this is the beginning of her starting that process. How cool is that? I am just happy to be along for the ride. Teach me, sweet girl. Color that bridge any color your heart desires.
What color is the bridge for you?
Think About It.
Haston Helping Hands 