I was standing on a shore, watching the boats leave and take to the waves. The sailors were focussed and busy with their seafaring activities. I wanted to go with them, to experience the feeling of sea-flight, and yet I was grounded, my boat in pieces in front of me. I could swim, at least I could do that, but how was I meant to get out there – far out there – when I had no boat?
I didn’t know what to do and I was offered no help. I knelt and began to fit pieces together, unsure of where they should go. I managed to put a raft together, hesitantly pushed it out on the water, and then sat on it. It wasn’t comfortable and I had no good way of directing it forwards. Soon my raft and I were back on the shore. This wasn’t what I had envisaged – this passive, circuitous journey – so I walked away from it, telling myself that the shining waters in the distance would be forever unknown to me. I left the raft at the edge of the shore, where it back-and-forthed at the patient grey pebbles.
Many years later I found the beach again. It looked exactly as it had before, even my raft was there. This time though I had a friend with me, a friend who encouraged me to re-make the boat. This friend was gentle on my bumbling efforts and clumsy hands. She suggested ways of fitting the boat together and she helped me to find those who were rich in sea-faring knowledge. She showed me that there was no shame in asking for help. So I constructed a boat, a good boat, and I set sail…
I always wanted to be able to paint. I wanted to be able to paint a face with watercolours. But faces are difficult and painting with watercolours is difficult! You can’t just do it and expect it to be the way you want it to be first time round. You need the materials, you need the skills, you need someone to help you… you need to practise.
I now have the necessary materials, I know of the various techniques used in watercolour painting and I have begun to acquire new skills. I practise as much as life allows. I recently painted a face in one colour and I am pleased with the end result (multiple colours is going to be a new and interesting challenge!). I want to be able to paint much, much more… my imagination is running miles ahead in terms of inspiration, and I don’t have the skills as yet to turn my dream pictures into a reality, but at least I know what I have to do to get there.
I have left the shore behind; I am out at sea and all I can see is beauty… all the possibilities, all the journeys, all the creative adventures.
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Many thanks again to Amanda at writealm for the daily writing prompts (although I only seem to be able to do one a month!). Β They are much appreciated π
Hello.
Nice post, I like your blog.
If you are interested in world, classic or indie cinema please look at my blog. Thank you. http://www.aworldoffilm.com/
Hello to you too π
Thank you, I’m glad you liked my post.
You’ve got a great-looking blog – what a good idea to review films irrespective of age and popularity. I wish you the best of luck with it and will try to drop by from time to time. Best wishes!
I love “a friend who encouraged me to re-make the boat” – don’t we all need one (or a few) of those?
Great picture too – and your persistence is inspiring!
Yes Helen, I think we all need one of those friends. My friend was not just one person – she was many people… but she mainly consisted of the older me (mother-me), my daughter who has no inhibitions about her art ‘being wrong’ (unlike me) and my mother who has such utter belief in me. And of course all of those lovely creative people out there who I’ve got to know through the world wide web and who say kind things about my efforts π
If we were all one day robbed of innate talent (or if we believe we had none to be robbed of at the outset) what we would have left is persistence… and the hope that if we continue to practise we will get better…
Thanks for stopping by Helen; I love how you shine a light of happiness into my life with your encouragement π
Love this! Glad to see you have stepped out of your comfort zone and are in the process of learning a new skill and developing your talent.
Thank you Amanda! I’m definitely stepping out of my comfort zone now (I think the moment I picked up a paintbrush I was out of my comfort zone!) but I’m very happy to be learning a new skill π
Thanks for stopping by and Happy New Year to you xxx