Now, I can draw

I used to be reasonably good for my age when I was 4 or 5 years old at drawing. I used to draw many things by looking at the images of those – birds, animals, houses, village, people and many more. I never had to think about what it was and how did it look like but I just kept on drawing. It is not only drawing, I used to be an active participant in many of the arts and sports competitions in my lower primary (LP) school and my spectrum varied from hand writing competition (you may not believe by looking at my hand writing now) to singing (don’t ask me) to dancing (what is it?) to clay modelling to running (not even in Gym these days) to shot put to long jump and to many. I had not come up as the first in most of the items I participated but it did not bother me at all but I, my mom and my teachers somehow made sure that I am there in everything. May be that’s why when the annual day function was happening, I was even given a special gift (it was a mug or a bucket) mentioning ‘for enthusiastic participation’ in all the events throughout the four years (from 1st standard till 4th). It was a good feel to go on stage and get it from the chief guest.

If I can also tell you a secret, I did not actually do well in my 4th class final examination in couple of subjects. I did not answer any of the questions for which I could have failed. But the teacher there, gave me one more chance and I got through. I found the focus there was not about winning or failing or the ability to ‘remember’ things but was more about shaping the ‘self’ in me.

But, I lost that ‘self’ over the years, quite unwittingly. And, I am sure I am not alone in this. As the child in me started fading in real, I started ignoring the child in my mind as well. The whole ecosystem that I was in was giving me priorities which I had to run behind and I did. No blames!

I regret that I did not bother about that child in me for many years. I was not even aware that he had not left me all this while. When I was introduced to design thinking, I came across this beautiful phrase 'a child's mindset'. I started asking myself what is that one thing that I did as a child which I really liked but I don't do now. And when I asked it, that 5 year who was silent so far popped out and shouted 'you used to draw well', he also said 'you used to write well', he also added a lot of other things about me which I had forgotten. It took me those many years and a spark that time to take the pencil in hand again, just to try. That’s how I started doodling. There were mistakes but who cares; still learning. It gives me a pleasure and I do it just like how I used to be in my LP school. I love spending time touching on each specifics of a doodle, drawing - redrawing and when done, looking at it with a glow in eyes and then can't wait to show it to my friends and say 'hey, I did this' like a small 5 year again! I remember, the expression on my colleagues faces when I showed them my doodle book and they were asking ‘and you said you have never drawn before!’ (no, I am not bragging that it was good but those expressions were a bit hilarious) – smirks that child in me.

I thought of sharing this story about how I started doodling last year. Clearly one of the ‘side effects’ that happened to me after getting introduced to design thinking principles.

We all have left back things that used to make us happy once upon a time. Can we look back and start picking on it one by one. Our priorities would have changed; still can we give a breathing space to that small kid in us? Now, tell me - do you have a story about the child in you?