There is a funny principle in this world: Perspective. The ability to see things from a particular angle. It’s intriguing, limiting, and yet, with it, we can show our unique outlook on the world.
But what do you suppose my little girl sees? “Mommy, can I taka picture of you on your phone?” they point the phone at me and smile with so much love at the image they see. I smile, say “cheese”, she says… I look at the photo she snapped, but my mind is 100% on the little girl behind the phone, and my heart is melted into a puddle.
As an artist, I’ve studied all the guidelines on perspective and composition, and, lets just say, this photo doesn’t capture them (or me!) in the best light.
The angle at which this little lady sees me is by far my worst. I mean really, how many wedding photographers photograph the bride from 3 feet off the ground while she smiles down at the camera? None. Absolutely none.
…But my little girl doesn’t care. She sees me.
She sees me in ways I have never seen myself. In ways filled with love and without any filters.
She seems to find beauty in nearly everything. Tiny seashells, leaves, lights, messy finger paintings, faces covered with spaghetti sauce… the world is entirely fresh and beautiful to her little mind. Her perspective on life is felt, rather than seen. She feels joy, peace, and love and these are the things that are truly beautiful.
While I may not like the angle of the photograph, the love I can see in my own eyes is somehow foreign to me: reserved just for her.
Will I delete the photo? Probably. …But not without reminding myself that love covers all and that these sweet little hearts are worthy of cherishing and enabling. And not without reminding myself that creating “beauty” with my hands is of no worth if love is not felt in my heart. Perspective is valuable and fragile; it can tip one way or another and become quickly unbalanced. But finding sweetness and seeing the value in life – even the un-lovely and difficult, is precious.
Thank you for the lesson sweet girl.
beautifulhelloblog.com 
Walking past the park in the rain with my nephew…..’can we go on the swings Aunty NoNo (my nickname)… ‘No Harry it’s all wet because it’s raining’…….He replies ‘So, the park is more fun when it’s slippery!’ Children’s ability to see the positive in every situation never fails to astound me, although I feel like I have always had the same inner voice, no matter how old I have been!
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I completely love this analogy. It’s so true, kids to find the beauty in everything. Even in things we find undesirable – or even nasty.
Thank you so much for sharing this sweet story!
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This post reminded me of Picasso’s potrait of just about anyone and also Manet- Portaying Life at Royal Academy of Arts exhibition in London… None of the subject sitting for these artists resembles themselves in the portraits… It’s more like the ‘artist’ viewing the subject based on their lens… Or for instance david Hockney painting Yorkshire sceneries— which are let’s face it often miserable but using Californian perspective/ colours… It’s not not beautiful— the beauty lies in the interpretation or perspective by the artist themselves… Like for your pictures… It’s the connection and experience of your daughter… It doesn’t need to be picture perfect cz god already created everyone beautiful- in the inside or the outside :))
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This is such a good comparison!!! I love the idea of Picasso’s perspective as being beautiful and even childlike. He was able to see things as he wish them to be, and not bound by imposed ideas.
It’s true, depending on how you look at it, everything is beautiful. We just have to find it and be willing to see it.
What an awesome perspective you have! Thank you so much for sharing!
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Comes from the idea that a great artist always add that little bit of something that they like/ dislike about themselves into their work… They make it personal…This comes from my passion for impressionist/ surrealist/ some abstract impressionist art… I’m not a fan of any art that look exactly how we can see it in real life unless using tricky medium or thought provoking— although Andy Warhol is where I never crossed the line- never understand that…I think otherwise i can categorise it as a work of a plagiarist…plagiarising meaning just u know copying God’s creation (I’m really not religious… I guess I’m open to accept and appreciate something that is more unique, personal to the artist and multidimensional) 🙂
Also speaking of perspective– I don’t know if uve heard of Damien hirst— I never understand his work but at the same time I had never been to any of his exhibition so I can’t quite judge his work… A friend of mine did attend it… A lot of people criticise his work as a work of art– at some of his exhibitions he would present a shark in a tank— one would question what is artistic about it— but apparently the art is more in terms of a philosophical kind of art… U would never be face to face with a shark ever in ur whole life unless if it is the moment before u die and that’s the perspective that he is bringing to those who attend to his exhibition…it’s like how do u feel- to be so close, and for once the table turned- the shark is dead in the tank and ure alive… Has one conquered their fear etc :)))))
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Reblogged this on songsaboutsoul.
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love the post..it’s just beautiful how inspiring children can be..
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Yes, don’t they just make you see the world in a way where everything small matters, and everything big and bad and scary doesn’t?
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Mentioned the post on chicgeeknpetite -for an old post- A Beautiful City A beautiful Tower I forgot to add that it is a beautiful post 😀
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Little ones can see the best at your worst. I can’t wait till my daughter can hold a camera or my phone and take a snapshot of me 🙂
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It is such fun – and such an eye-opening experience! Life looks completely different through their eyes and I am honored to be able to share in it!
Congratulations on your sweet little one!!
EJ
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Lovely post, thank you. Young children, seeing the worls through open, non-judgmental eyes are such an inspiration to me too.
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Mmm… Not sure my reply was send in… Anyway, lovely post and thank you. For me the non-judgmental way young children look into the world is such an inspiration. Both in daily life as in my photography.
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