brunette

▲Xiaoying’s son delicately expresses his love and expectations for his mother with his paintbrush.

Dear De, congratulations on winning the XXXX yuan scholarship awarded by the American Society of Artists in 2003. The society will award the award at a special exhibition celebrating its 75th anniversary on November 9. Please come and discuss with fellow artists. Please send the winning oil painting "Black-haired Girl" to the exhibition venue on X, June, at the following address..."

On this day, my parents dressed up and drove for more than an hour to attend your award ceremony. As soon as you enter the venue, you will see a row of various works hanging on the four walls. The large "Brunette" is placed in front of the piano in the right corner, alongside the other two scholarship works.

Looking from a distance, the oriental girl in the painting is sitting in front of an ancient fort commemorating the American Revolutionary War. The warm afternoon sun illuminates her face with clear light and shadow. She half-turned her face and looked ahead, her eyes exuding longing; a few strands of hair falling on her chest were slightly resting on the wheels of the fort, as if she were paying tribute to history; things in the girl's body were sitting in the past and present, and her bright forehead was also in harmony with the building behind her. The window is dimly illuminated.

Del, this is your work this summer. While you were working during the summer vacation, you chose a photo of your mother when she came to the United States to study more than 20 years ago and drew it as an exercise.

This is not your first portrait. You drew before you learned to write. Whenever you came home from a trip, you liked to draw what you saw and heard on white paper. You also often found some waste or scattered materials in the garage and made pieces called boats, Cars and various unknown animals. In addition to being amazed, your parents still never forget to remind you to put your academic studies first. When you enter junior high school, we no longer encourage you to draw or play the piano because of the heavy workload.

And you never argued about it and learned to study hard, but your grades were not stable; you also tried to develop into sports like your brother, but you could never escape the shadow of competition and failure. As a result, you become more silent, prefer to skateboard in the wind, jump on the trampoline, and even often go home at night.

In your senior year of high school, you injured your right shoulder due to jumping on a spring mat and were sent to the hospital. After the doctor's first aid, you gradually woke up. In your semi-conscious state, you told your mother that you had been cared for by your parents since you were a child and had a happy life. When you were a child, you thanked your mother from the bottom of your heart, but you also felt sorry for her because you and your friends had done a lot of ridiculous things outside in the past two years, and you choked up and mentioned every bad thing you had done... Mom accepted it with tears of shame. Your confession. Because I always thought you were good and obedient, I couldn't hear your inner cry, and ignored your needs, which made you lose yourself in the long-term tolerance of your mother's stubbornness and prejudice.

Over the years, I have devoted myself to arranging you in the blueprint I designed and taking the trouble to correct you. Now I finally understand that my mother's love for you is selfish and arbitrary, and she only accepts the part of you that meets my requirements. But you are always silent in response. This does not mean that you do not know how to fight for yourself, but that you are willing to live in a family relationship that "does not care about mom."

Mom also understands that your sensitivity to painting and music is the artistic talent and preference God gave you before you were born, and it is the life path He has prepared for you. If I cut off this exit and force you to take another road, when you can't go and have no way out, wouldn't Mom personally send you to your death?

What's more, parents often get emotional relief and enlightenment from being immersed in art. If I prevent you from learning art, it will be tantamount to despising my own conscience and sensibility. No matter how hard I try to be a dedicated mother, I still cannot stand before God. is a false person.

Finally, you happily picked up the paintbrush again and entered the art academy to concentrate on your studies. After embarking on this path, in addition to gradually increasing your self-confidence, you also know how to work hard and make progress. Those who appreciate kindness and work hard are blessed, but "giving is more blessed than receiving." Mom believes that you have obtained the most precious treasure of life, and I hope that your works can continue to convey the message of the goodness of life.

Just like the paintings displayed at the venue, each one has its own meaning and depth, which cannot be explained in a few words. Just like every scene in life, the charm can be seen from different angles, some of which need to be viewed from the air, and some of which are in the air. Under the dawn, red clouds, or even when the gentle breeze blows, its essence is revealed, because many of the beauties in life require time and emotion to cooperate. The mother you express with your paintbrush is the feeling you experience with time and patience.

Compare this painting with the original photo. You made the corners of mom's eyes droop slightly because you know that mom always likes to look up and has high requirements and vision for her children. But the black-haired girl's cheeks are plumper than in the photo. It shows the tenderness and maternal nature of the girl. This kind of adjustment and expression is an artistic encounter and a spiritual connection.

This painting is like a mirror to Mom, reflecting the process of our understanding and understanding. It also shows your tolerance, love and expectation for Mom. Standing in front of the mirror, I am filled with gratitude and constantly alert.

＊Good words and beautiful essays are selected from the third cup of life soup "Song of Heart Garden"