CRAFTING HAPPINESS
“A day of travelling will bring a basketful of learning” – Vietnamese proverb
I had the clumsiest of fingers when it came to art and craft or needle-work at school. I was a nightmare for all the art teachers and instructors. College did well for me where I didn’t have to go through the same trauma of being held up in class for not completing a certain paper mat craft that needed to be made from home. Too bad for me, home wasn’t quite the ideal place for mentors either. No offence, but my parents weren’t exactly the kind of people who had the gift of art and craft so, after a point of time, I pretty much gave up and became a stubborn student who was consistent with a “D” in Art & Craft and SUPW.
Last month, on a visit to one of Sterling Holidays’ resorts in Ooty, I found out something new about myself. There was a craft session being held at the resort for all the young guests and out of sheer curiosity, I decided to join as well. This being a very unusual decision for me too because anything with craft and I would preferably stay miles away from it. Anyway, so this was a vacation and I had the option of walking out of this “session” anytime I wanted, so, I decided to give it a shot. Only, I didn’t walk out, I didn’t want to walk out, I didn’t want it to end at all. So, what was it that kept me so fixated? Quite simple actually. The Holidays Activities personnel at the resort was conducting this highly interesting origami class and by the end of it, we, the participants had come up with a duck, a star, a swan, a bouquet and god knows what not! All this and more, made just out of paper.
But you know the real reason I didn’t leave mid-way? I was having fun. Like real fun. Cutting paper, drawing shapes, seeing the final product. The mentors were there throughout. They gave us personal attention and laughed at our questions, none of which they deemed silly or annoying. They were patient, they were kind and they were excellent at teaching. At the end of it, I was quite impressed with myself. It’s one of those purely happy feelings where you’re proud about yourself and can’t wait to discover more of you. That’s when I realized, it’s not for others to decide what we’re good at and what’s not meant for us. If we find the right people to guide us, to mentor us, things go up the positive way automatically.
I had a thrilling time during this entire session, so, you can imagine what the other kids, only half my age and younger experienced. Sometimes, it’s not just about fun and joy, it’s also about self-discovery, knowing your own potential and learning. It’s a multi-layered process on so many levels and all of these help you grow towards a direction you’ll be proud of later.