I have always envied people who can draw. Somewhere along the line my development in this particular field of art was stunted, and I must admit I haven't truly progressed beyond drawing stick figures. Samuel has had an interest in drawing for as long as he's be able to sit up and watch someone do it. I remember watching my father-in-law hold Samuel on his lap in church and he and Samuel would doodle together. Grandpa Heidenreich draws well-- and so does Daddy. I love to watch them draw together, but when Samuel started asking me to draw things for him, a panic began to rush through me.
Perfectionists (and I am one) are people with really limited ability. Our abilities are limited not so much by a deficit in aptitude, but by our desires to do it right, do it beautifully and do it perfectly-- the first time. We don't have much patience in our own learning process. That's why I felt panicked. But Samuel, I decided, deserved something better from me. He deserved to see Mommy try. Within the past two weeks, Samuel has begun asking me everyday to draw something with him. We've drawn Zurg, Woody, Curious George, a homing pigeon, a rubber duckie, Cinderella, Spiderman, Dumbo and a Remo drum. I decided that whatever Samuel asked me to draw I would do it. I don't want him to learn "I can't draw" from me.
Gandhi said, "Men often become what they believe themselves to be. If I believe I cannot do something, it makes me incapable of doing it. But when I believe I can, then I acquire the ability to do it even if I didn't have it in the beginning."
I really take my time looking at the picture and I try to pace myself so it's as good as I can get it. And do you know what I've discovered? I CAN draw. I'm not great at it, but love for my little boy pushed me beyond my comfort zone and helped me grow in an area previously underdeveloped. Yet, I saw Samuel learning something too. He took just as much time meticulously coloring in the segments he wanted to. He is learning it takes time to do something well and make something beautiful. Life experiences are going to teach Samuel to be rushed and in a hurry, but I think it is more important that he learn how to focus, give attention to detail and most importantly: do the thing you love with a lot of love.