Coloring Book

Somehow, I feel guilty for the underprivileged around me. But I continue living my life not able to decide what I must do about it. Sometimes constrained by time, other times by studies, job, relationships but mostly just plain clueless. Priority list always lagging behind schedule. This is probably subject of another blog.

This post is about how attempting to be kind bought a lot of happiness to me. As it always does.

I was travelling in the dreaded Mumbai Local where one can buy all the things they need. Make up, jewelry, chocolate, vegetables, clothes, bags, small items (paper clips, safety pins, pens, brushes, kits, folders), to name just a few. Most of these items are not of good quality, some are, most of these items are things which you just buy and never use. But I buy anyway. 

I buy them because I think that the vendor, too, is making a living. S/He has left for office, just as I have, has bills and commitments to meet. And 10-15 rupees won't hurt me at all. Especially, can't resist buying from the women who look too young to be lunging around a baby and a heavy basket but obviously don't have an option. And then there are little boys and girls, but mostly boys.

I met a boy like this selling coloring books. "Le na didi.", he said, "pachaas mein teen dega". Now who can resist such an offer? So I came home with three coloring books titled: Kings of India, Chota Bheem and Activities. Probably some kid would visit my house and then I would have something for them!

Next morning I had nothing particular to do, so I thought why not! And I dished out some pastel crayons, picked out the book about kings and started coloring the portrait of King Shivaji. Looking at me all engrossed, my sister picked up the activities and started coloring a page too. Soon our grandmother was curious know what’s so interesting and we asked her to join us.

Dadi asked what's the use of all this, it's to better to use this time to pray! We asked her to just try it for bit. I tried to convince telling her that this was an excellent exercise for creativity, memory etc (urm...I’m not sure if any of this is true). 

She started but took quite some time to understand how this process works. She was not sure how to hold the crayon. She also suspected we're trying to get her to do some of our work, got scared she might go wrong but she was finally hooked, asking for suggestions as to which color would look good and which lines she can cross with the crayon. At the end of it, her fingers were strained but she had a smile on her face. She finished off by signing with a 'Shanti'.

So we spent a beautiful morning, chitchatting and coloring, a joyful start to our day. And I'm hope we have begun a recurrent exercise. 

It took me back to the film ‘Taare Zameen Par’, where in a climax scene, the whole school is shown drawing and coloring, including teacher. Coloring is therapeutic! Even if one has zero artistic sense.

By Dadi

By Dadi