March 14, 2022
I do not think I truly recognized the beauty of the world around me, until I discovered art. And no, I do not mean the mandatory art classes in middle and elementary, but rather the true expression of oneself and their ideas. Of people’s own creativity brought to life with a simple movement of their hand. The imagination- the world that can arise from the simple ability to create anything, is truly beautiful.
I discovered art sometime in 8th grade, and I was nowhere near good. However, I remember the absolute joy I felt- blasting Hamilton as I drew one of my favorite characters from said musical. The pride that swelled in my chest when I finished the piece and showed it to my mom.
The pain I felt when it was turned down and made fun of by my friends. The ache in my chest when I tore it out of my sketchbook, and the tears that rolled down my face when I threw it away.
I tried again, and again, but there was no way I could compare to the artists I saw online. With their flawless pieces and mastery of colors.
In highschool, I realized something. I didn’t have to be equal to them in skill to enjoy the process and my own successes. Yet that didn’t mean I couldn’t learn from them.
So I paid more attention to what others were doing. To the colors they used and blended, to how the lines danced across the page with grace.
That’s when I truly understood. That’s when I started to notice.
The way the trees danced in the wind. The clouds that formed in the sky. The colors of the world that surrounded me. The people, and all of their unique features. Everything that makes a human-being beautiful, whether society thinks so or not. The way people’s faces light up when they laugh. The crinkles in the corners of their eyes when they smile. The content and pure happiness when they are with someone they love.
The world around me was beautiful, it just took me longer to notice it.
Art, even in its darkest forms, was beautiful. The story behind it, the creativity, the expression, the effort, the execution- all of it was beautiful. From the simplest cartoons for kids, to the darkest pieces- they are the creations made by another person. That alone, holds beauty.
Afterall, even with the harsh and brutal winters, there was no denying the beauty snow held.
And the world was beautiful.
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