She has just recently started drawing and coloring recognizable things. She was in a lengthy phase I called her Nebula Period. Of course, I am always proud of Ada but I will admit to being a little jealous of pictures I saw on Facebook. Kids her same age were and are pumping out recognizable princesses wearing dresses and crowns, smiley faces labeled Mama and very accurate renderings of Cookie Monster. I don't begrudge those children their talent, but I was looking for a little of that over here. I wasn't a jerk about it or anything, I never suggested that her drawings were anything but beautiful, and they really were. Plus, that she called her drawings space nebula helped take the sting out of the nonstop scribbling. Some people are science geniuses and not so good at the art. It takes all types and I know that, as I parent I just non-judmentally wait to see what will unfold. Then one day a few months ago, she turned a corner and started drawing actual things. She drew the Wicked Witch, Dorothy, and gang together and I was bursting with the pride. You parents know what I am talking about.
And now this precious piece. The girls were doing a little coloring over at Grammy's, I came upon Ada just putting the finishing touches on it. Let's see, that is a mother pig, she has 10 babies (not in the drawing, but important for context). Mother pig is dead. The red is blood coming out of her neck. A little further down the mother pig's body is the mother pig's nurse, it is purple. Milk is leaking out of her corpse. A coyote killed her, so that is pretty rough. I may have had a look of shock so Ada explained that Jesus came and killed the bad guys. I reminded her that isn't how Jesus rolls.
A storyteller, for sure. She paints her pictures with words AND images. WIN! Nice of her to tack on a happy ending.
ReplyDeleteMight I suggest (and perhaps you already do) printing this interpretation out and attaching it to the picture? So many times I thought I'd remember what was said, only to look at something years later and wonder what the heck?
Ada always has a story that is for sure and great idea Sue about adding the story to the back of the picture!
ReplyDeleteAnd Jesus DOES kill the bad guys. The "bad guys" don't actually have to mean humans. It might be hurtful thoughts. Thinking of Jesus can kill those thoughts. That's what prayer is, right? A way to "kill the bad guys." IMHO.
ReplyDeleteWell, of course that is how I should have explained it and brought it back to prayer. With the slaughter story unfolding, I was picturing more of Quentin Tarantino type justice for the coyotes-it was all kind of a blur. I was like, "Circle of life Ada, coyotes do coyote things and that doesn't make Jesus mad" I think that is the gist of what I said. Who knows, like I said it was a blur!
DeleteYou did well, grasshopper. I once saw a shrink because...oh, for many reasons. One reason was that I felt I sucked at parenting. He said, very wisely, you don't have to be perfect. You just need to be good enough. That was very liberating for me.
ReplyDeleteIn the immortal words of Farmer Hoggett: That'll do, pig. That'll do.
(and no, I'm not calling you a pig. I just like the quote.)