Perseverance- A Tough but an Important Lesson
Saturdays With Shivani
My daughter has been working on a particularly large canvas (by her standards) since August’2021. I had felt so intimidated by the magnitude of work she had inadvertently signed up for that even her initial levels of excitement didn’t do much to alleviate my fears.
Predictably for her too, fatigue soon set in and school assignments took precedence and the poor canvas was relegated to a sad and dark corner. She would reluctantly take it out on weekends and holidays with motivation that was becoming increasingly harder to come by. Since the size was so huge, she couldn’t even fathom the end result and I think that compounded the demotivation.
She loves to draw and paint but she decides her pace and its subject to her whims and fancies. I would hear her groan and crib that in all this time she could have accomplished so much more. Things came to a point where I even considered putting her out of misery and against my nature, I suggested that she could forget all about it and move on. I told her that just because she had spent so much time on it didn’t mean that she had to spend more of it. I could see that she weighed in her options and for a moment there contemplated seriously on taking up the offer.
After giving it a thought, she said she’ll complete what she had started and there was a conviction in her voice that told me she meant it. To accomplish it, she put the Christmas break as a deadline for herself. As she painted stroke after stroke on the canvas, the picture started revealing itself one colour at a time. The vibrance on the canvas was getting reflected on her face too. Whilst there is still some work left but now her perseverance has brought her closer to the finish line. Her persistence has taught her an important lesson and a tough one, given that we live in times of instant gratification.
I was ready to give up and had offered her an easy path that she didn’t choose to take. This has been a good revision for me too. The timing seems to be quite appropriate as well. Despite a new calendar, things outside remain unchanged. The pandemic is raging in its latest avatar and the big picture is hazy. The fatigue is real and much worse. At this point, it’s only perseverance that can take me to the other side; perseverance and my eternal optimism. The latest mutation is definitely weaker than the original one and I want to believe (within the realms of my scientific acumen) that virus is ready to throw in the towel. I am hoping that it’s the early morning hour of darkness which precedes the dawn.
I shall not tell you to cheer up but chin up and stay strong for just a bit. We have come this far so let’s try not give in or give up. To all those who are finding it difficult, I completely get you. Please feel free to reach out. I am available if it helps.
Love and light to all