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MA DHARYAASRI

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AHMAD NAIM BIN HANAFIAH ABDUL FATAH Moe
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30 views4 pages

MA DHARYAASRI

Uploaded by

AHMAD NAIM BIN HANAFIAH ABDUL FATAH Moe
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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The Painter by Dharyaasri Karthigesan

(Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Tinggi Bukit Mertajam)

I knew a painter who was famous for painting landscapes. He lived quietly in the apartment next
to mine. We would talk with my parents when he came over to share stories and discussions with
tea and crackers. I remember how he would tie his long dark hair into a bun with an old
paintbrush and his hands were permanently stained with colour.

I also remember how he never truly smiled. Despite the usual charm, the corners of his mouth
obeyed gravity and his eyes were lacklustre.

This man was shy and short with words, unlike the loudness that is his masterpieces. Mountains
and pretty clouds decorated his canvases. People adored his artwork. He was proud of himself
yet they started demanding him to paint the same mountains and pretty clouds until that was all
he painted.

I shall tell you a little secret about this painter I overheard from my parents' evening gossip. He
didn’t like painting landscapes anymore and wanted to paint buildings instead. Maybe the ocean
and portraits of his beautiful wife and their pet cat, Flurry. He wanted to try out batik or pottery.
Anything just to break free from the repetitive cycle of pretty terrains.

Despite his riches and fame, the painter was unhappy—chained to his canvas to only paint
landscapes. He grew sick of his art. Looking at the framed pieces in his studio lit the flames of
repentance in his soul.

One night, as the sun dipped in the sky and cast the clouds in a soft blush of colour (just as his
paintings would) then disappeared into a sea of darkness with pinpricks of light, he exploded in
exploration.

The painter painted to his heart's content, allowing himself the freedom to mark the canvas with
all his creative desires. He painted the street he lived in and a portrait of his darling wife and
their little cat. He painted lilies, daffodils and peonies in delicate vases and covered gardens in
those flowers.
People were disappointed at first—furious at his sudden change. The artist no longer painted
their favourite mountains and pretty sceneries. Instead, he painted whatever he wanted to. It was
different and uncommon for him.

Unique.

Some didn’t like his artworks. Some did. They loved his new style and paintings and begged him
to push his creative abilities further. Grow it until his art soon became a worldwide sensation. He
held on to that love and continued to create.

In the time he spent allowing himself the freedom to explore and grow as an artist, the painter
felt happy.

I remember being surprised by the newfound passion in his eyes. “Why are you so happy?” I
asked.

“I feel free,” he said with a smile on his face.

Liberty—the freedom you allow yourself—is the foundation for growth.

Look around you. Where you are right now in life and who you are—this version of yourself
who has gone through experiences and failures, that is growth. The little steps you have taken to
move forward are like a little flower reaching for the sun. Its stalk grows taller and the petals
flourish, drinking light.

Growth isn't just ticking off the main goals on your life's checklist like graduating from
university or finally getting married or being able to buy your first house. The main goal we all
seek in life is happiness and fulfilment yet to truly be happy, we should celebrate the little things,
they matter, too. For example, finishing a workout, studying a topic you found difficult or
standing up for yourself.

And to achieve that growth, we give ourselves the space and liberty to fully bloom into whoever
we are meant to be on this planet.
Like the painter, being free means taking risks and entering a new world with closed eyes, which
I admit, is terrifying. He broke the rules and simply painted whatever he wanted to which
resulted in him finally being happy with himself and growing his potential as an artist.

Giving yourself the freedom to express yourself is growth. Allowing yourself to disobey the
rules and live by your terms is growth. That is when you become better.

Hold onto the people who cheer for you. It is growth when you let go of the ones who make you
unhappy or chain you down. The ones who love you will let you fall and help pick you up to try
again. They will be there by your side and help you break the rules.

Dear reader, liberty is a bittersweet word.

It is defined as the power to act as one pleases—the power to be yourself in a world where
everything is against you. Sometimes, it might feel like it would be easier to give up and remain
in that little box of comfort and constraint where you lose that power completely.

I believe, however, that growth is accomplished through the rough and when you defy all the
odds set against you. Free yourself from the safe little box you’ve trapped yourself in. Allow
yourself to mark the canvases of your life in exploration and unleash your greatest potential into
becoming the best version of who you are.

Become the painter of your canvas for only you know your favourite colours.

( 875 words )

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