My 5 year old daughter loves to draw. Over the years her drawings have evolved according to her fine motor skills, imagination, and interests. A few months ago she was decidedly in her floral period. Every day I could look forward to endearing renderings of brightly colored flowers, butterflies, and rainbows.
Though she still likes to draw flowers, for the last month or so, my daughter has brought home at least one self portrait every day. Here are a few recent examples.
When I look at these self portraits I find myself wondering if they represent a piece of her emerging spiritual and reflective practice. I wonder if they represent her best attempts to see herself either as she is or as she wishes to be. I wonder if they represent her desire to have stability amidst the transition from preschool to kindergarten. I suspect that in these sweet drawings are all of these possibilities and more.
Her drawings make me wonder about the self portraits that each of us draws, either literally or figuratively, either actual or idealized, whether with words, images, or some other media.
I hope that my daughter keeps drawing. I hope that she continues to contemplate who she is now, who she is becoming, and all that can exist for her within the vastness of her self and the world. I extend that hope to myself and to all of us that are on this shared journey that we all experience in such personal ways.