Society Vs Creativity

Ohla Bee!

Happy St. Valentine's Day in a bit.

So, I was watching this short anime that spoke volumes. It was of a father and his child. Every day, the father would load the child’s satchel with books and strap the bag to the child, walking him to school. On the way, they’d go through a park where a violinist was playing under a tree, and each time the child would stop-looking on in wonder.

Of course, the father was always ready to yank the child by the ear. As they walked to school, one could see other adults walking their children to school: they were all colored color while the children were different colors (depending on their gender, I guess).

After dropping off the child, the father would then walk slouching with briefcase in hand to work. At work, he’d drown himself under a pile of work, not smiling and counting down to the end of the day.

Once it was time to leave, the father would rush out and meet up with the child who during school, would draw colorful pictures of trees, the violin and the violinist. Rushing to his father, they’d both embrace and the father’s color would automatically change; taking on a blue hue. The child would go on to show off his ‘school’ work only to have the father respond with a scowl as the notes would show only drawings rather than ABCs.

This continued for a while with the father gradually wearing down the child’s eagerness and childlike interest in colors/drawings and the violinist at the park. Watching closely, the child was gradually beginning to lose his color. He no longer looked up as they walked past the park, no longer scribbled and drew colorfully. He blended in with his classmates, who had all turned grey like their robotic parents.

One day after work, the father waited excitedly for the child by the school steps and when the child came out, he was hunched over, arm stretched out with his assignment; properly done (and in grey, of course). The father looked at the sheet and while he was happy the child was learning, he felt something was missing. The child couldn’t be bothered with hugs and he looked so sullen. This had the father thinking and he reached into his briefcase for past assignments. Looking at them, he could see how much color and joy there was on the pages; he also realized how the colors seemed to dwindle by the day till there was none left. Raising his hands in confusion, he also realized how he was still grey (apparently, the only time he was ever colorful was when he was with the child. Go figure!) He decided to take the child to the park and held up a picture of the violinist and this seemed to spark some interest as the child’s eyes lit up and he ran with the father for the park. However, getting to the tree in the park, it was deserted as there was no sign of the violinist or anyone else for that matter.

The child walked away dejectedly, not even looking back to wait for the father and it wasn’t till he had gone a few blocks away that he noticed he was alone. Looking up, he saw his dad drop his briefcase, take a stance of a violinist-arms arched and imitating a violinist, he began to sway and play the imaginary instrument.

The child’s color rushed back to his cheeks, his whole body and he ran to hug his dad. They spent the whole afternoon playing in the park, while grey adults walked past, hunched over.

Now, I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with getting an education. All I mean to say is that often times, the things we originally set out to do are stifled by the things that are expected of us. So the first child wants to be a dance instructor, but because of the responsibilities and expectations of the family unit, she opts out and reads Law. She succeeds in the field and becomes not just a Lawyer but an acclaimed SAN and one would think that such a being would always be on cloud 9 but in truth, there’s a huge void inside of them that makes them withdraw and become distant.

As a parent, do you enforce your wants and desires on your child, guiding them down the path to what or who you originally intended to be?

Or do you guide them lovingly to be the BEST they can be? Without undue pressure to be some professional?

Who says they can’t be the best Life Coach or Best Zumba Dancer there is and still rack in the billions while at it? Or who decreed that you can’t do all that while still practicing as a Doctor?

When passion fuels your purpose, almost anything is possible ~Ranal Currie

And with God, all thing ARE possible.

What are you most passionate about? That just might be your calling.

Loads of hugs and Kisses

Cee