Outside the Lines.

Sometimes I feel my life falling into this system the world carves out for me...  This unspoken knowledge of "Do this, not this. Go here, not there. Be this way, not that way."  I feel ruled by everyone speaking their can's/can't's over me and I start to dream even further outside the lines in search of something uniquely mine - nobody else's. Because anytime my life starts looking like the "should's" I start to freak out a little.

I dream Bigger things than daily routine.  Life exists outside of status updates.  Beauty and inspiration are something you have to create on your own without relying on others to make it happen for you.  I'm trying to live the life that looks like me.  How easy (lazy?) it is to get caught up in the identity the world wants you to have - or what works for them.  It's refreshing to have an outlet that gives you your own voice - a place to feel heard.

March's focus in my class is finding beauty in art, and noticing shapes in artists' famous masterpieces.  I showed them a Jackson Pollock the other day, and they were surprised to find that not ALL artists use shapes and perfect lines to create a masterpiece.  Art is art, no matter how perfect or imperfect it may appear.  They were even further mystified when I proceeded to pick up a paintbrush and haphazardly thrust paint at a blank sheet on the wall. They watched in silent amazement - wondering if their teacher had gone outside the usual version of crazy - then started a contagious giggle, soon turned to outbursts of laughter as they considered the prospect of "breaking the rules" a bit.

Throwing out the expectations.
Allowing freedom and independence to let something be what it is without judgement.
Even at 3 years old they recognize there's so much freedom in coloring outside the lines.
You'll find their Masterpiece located above.