What’s your craft? How does it help you?
The first time I felt the magic a craft can do to a person I was 4 years old. My parents gave me a gift that completely blow my mind – a small keyboard piano. This small music instrument helped me to discover the world in an entirely different way to what I already knew. Turns out I could feel so much more than just “hungry”, “bored” or “happy”. When I wasn’t busy playing with my parent, grandparents or my brother, I was playing with my keyboard. It started off as pure curiosity – I press a key and sound comes out? All keys sound different? And I can play with all of them? What if I press more than one key at the same time? What if..? And just like that, without me even knowing, I had chosen playing piano as my very first craft.
By the time I was 6 years old, I was putting on little shows for my family, performing short, simple songs I had learned to play by ear. It was around this time when I learned to play my mums favourite piano peace which at that time was Alan Menken – A Whole New World. I worked very hard for months practising to play this song and when I finally managed to play it without making mistakes, I was ready to perform it to my mum. She didn’t know I was practising this song as by now I had a bigger and better keyboard that I could also play using headphones. I called my mum and when she entered the room, I started playing the song. I was so nervous. This was the most complex song I had learned so far. I never took my eyes off my fingers that were gliding across the piano keys. When I finished the song and finally lifted my head, I saw my mum crying. I expected to see her smiling, clapping and giving me a big “well done” hug as she usually did, but tears where rolling down her cheeks and I couldn’t understand why. Did I pick the wrong song? Did she not like it?
This was the first time a saw my mum crying because she was so proud of me and moved by what I had accomplished. She knew instantly I had been putting my time and effort into learning “her” song for months just so she could enjoy it for 2 minutes. It was then when for the very first time in my life I realised that what I do matters, and it matters not just to me but to others too. The idea that I can make someone else feel something so profound was eye opening to me. My craft helped me understand that giving can be just as rewarding as receiving. (Spoiler alert: no, I didn’t grow up to be a talented piano player but I still have a lot of admiration for this instrument and anyone who makes it look like playing piano takes no effort at all.)
My love for music led me to my next craft which was dancing. When I was 8 years old, I joined a dancing group in my school. I loved dancing! Our group used to travel the country performing, we got to meet a lot of like-minded children of a similar age, and these adventures and friendships were possible only thanks to our teacher’s passion for her craft – dancing and teaching children to dance. But at the age of 15 I had a tough decision to make – practice harder dancing and prepare myself for the upcoming big dance event or study harder for my upcoming big school exams? I chose education, did well on my exams, got into a good school and studied law. I must admit, I don’t regret my choice. Looking back I understand as hard as it was at 15 to let go of something I enjoyed doing so much, dancing was a craft I needed at that time of my life and it served me more than well while I was embracing it but I wanted to explore many more different crafts in my lifetime.
Recently I qualified as a nail technician and I absolutely love this craft. I have also, with great passion, explored knitting, crocheting, cross stitching, bookbinding, photography and so much more. Now I’m willing to share my knowledge and experience with others. All these crafts have shaped my personality and helped me realise that all people are creators and our imagination is limitless.
Every day is a new chance to create something – this is how I see the world. Some creations are bigger and more time consuming, others are smaller and take only a few minutes to complete but all of them are just as important especially if you enjoy the process.
I invite you to share your experience, craft together and reveal how amazing people really are. Tell your story, learn someone else’s story. Master your graft and help others master theirs because “there is no greater feeling than looking at something you created and being proud of what it’s become”.