...developement area ;)

What about our talents?

I write this after reading one of Bill Littleton's blogs.
It made me remember that we all have so many talents...and never dare trying them out.

Painting:
After leaving coloured "traces" on anything in my reach as soon as I could hold a pencil or brush, I was taught at school that I saw and "painted" things in a wrong way. The problem was, I could not do it different.
So for about 40 years I gave it up, telling friends how gifted THEY were...and that really everybody can paint or draw. They took courses...and made wonderful paintings.
In the end I fell ill. I had lost something essential to my life and ended up in my first "burn-out".
Then a friend talked me into going to a weekend of "meditative painting" as a birthday present.
The lady who was teaching there, meant to help us by playing musik and reading poems and putting beautiful flowers, fruit and leaves (we call that something like "still life") in front of us. I remember feeling overrun and irritated.
But then, when I blocked it all off...something great happened there...and after only two days I went home with 30 (!!) paintings that had come out of my "inside" like a steady flow.
Until today I cannot paint what I want...it won't work.
White wet paper, colours, some music...and NOT thinking what it should look like...that's my own way.
I wish others would dare to give it a try, too!

And singing??
As a child I had a very good voice, I was told. Naturally I wanted to be a pop star! My uncle, a sound engineer with Phillips then, promissed me a spanking, should he see me there. I was too shy anyway, and so I dived into reading books...and listening to other people's songs.
With the years, my voice has changed, and I do not even dare to sing under the shower. Ok, I can still whistle most parts of Mozart's "Eine kleine Nachtmusik"...but that's not what I really would like to do.
Playing the guitar?
I was never allowed to, and only gave it a try six years ago, thinking that I wanted to find a way to get all those lyrics out of my head and "into something".
The teacher said I was good...and than came arthritis.....
Now I do lyrics for a friend...at times.
He once said to me: as long as you have fun, just DO it. Listen to Bob Dylan. He really can't sing, but does anyone care? Does he care??

So shouldn't we do as children do? When you watch them, they do not seem to want to know what comes out of it...they just DO it, and have fun!

Now I should say, what I myself will do, no?
Ok...I'll give it another try....on the long run. ;