Small Wonders

My friend Té Watercolor

Watercolor by my friend Té

I have a great friend – she is an English teacher at my school too – who loves painting – whenever she gets enough free time, as she has a big family and is very often busy.

This year, for Christmas, when we exchanged gifts, I found out that she had added a greetings card, made by herself. I asked her permission to post her watercolor, as an example of something very simple, yet beautiful, we may be given as a sort of  “appendix” for a real gift, but that we come to treasure even more than the gift itself.

She didn’t only offered the time she took to actually do the painting, but also, through her unique way of making it, she left her “imprint” in it, something very personal, something that concerns her genuine inner life and that, otherwise, would remain inexpressible.

No wonder that so many people nowadays enjoy  drawing and painting as their favorite hobby: I can see how my kids become suddenly appeased and focused, when they can give themselves totally to the task of creating. Although my own drawings are elementary I can experience this inner plunge in silence too.

Another friend of mine says that in taking the risk to draw or paint there is a sense of adventure, as to  remain under the spell of materials and colors also means to accept to be taken beyound your own design, thus creating something that surprises the author himself.

I had a teacher, in College, that used to tell us that God expected to see among us, common people, much more amateurs of different arts, like poets, dancers, painters, writers, musicians, choreographers, sculptors and artisans of all sorts, as He had given us plenty of hidden talents and had made us  receptive to creative inspiration. And although our strenuous and feverish lifestyle prevents us to fully enjoy this more genuine vocation, it remains still alive and at work in  children and in many young people.

As for us, grown ups… well,  looking at my friends works one would say  it is never too late!