Interwoven: Sketches of Relationship Lines

As I sat idle, I started contemplating about how some circumstances and relationships change in life. Of course, the complexity of life, of relationships, of time, cannot be captured so easily, I still tried to represent all that in the simplest of forms: lines.

I started with sketching the gentle rhythm of my breath, as I inhaled and exhaled (You can try this as a mindful art activity for 5 minutes as it brings your attention to your breath and calms you down)

As I was thinking what can I sketch next, I started thinking of relationships and how they evolve over our lifetime.

The relationship with one's parents - It's a journey that begins with the tender embrace of infancy, where they are our whole world, and we are theirs. As we grow, so does the complexity of this bond, navigating the winding paths of adolescence, sometimes filled with rebellion, misunderstandings, and the quest for independence.

Yet, amidst the turmoil, there is an unbreakable bond with shared experiences and unconditional love. For no matter where life's journey takes us, our parents will always be the anchor that grounds us. Behind all our stories is our parents' story - because theirs is where ours began.

The relationship with our grandparents; so full of warmth and affection. From them, we learn the timeless lessons of resilience, perseverance, and the importance of good homemade pickles. Lucky are the ones who have experienced the immense love of their grandparents.

The relationship with one's siblings; the ones who know us best, who can read our thoughts with just a glance, and who are always there to pick us up when we fall. Sure, there are moments of bickering, squabbling over trivial matters, and the occasional wrestling match that ends in laughter and forgiveness. But beneath the teasing and taunting lies a deep feeling of affection and protection which only grows stronger with time.

The relationship with friends: While thinking about this, I realized there is no one way to put this on paper. So, I pondered upon certain moments from my own life that could serve as the link for these lines of connection.

Throughout our lives, we make some friends that later drift away like leaves in the breeze, while others find their way back into our lives, like old songs on a radio. And then there are certain connections that remain constant. These are the ones you hold close to your heart, you are grateful for, who have seen you in every step of life and accepted you for you.

The relationship with the one: Someone told me your heart should be at peace knowing what misses you was never meant for you and what is meant for you will never miss you. We cross paths with people in life; we know them and love them in varying degrees, we un-love them and lose them. Some encounters are fleeting, some lasting, each leaving its mark on our hearts. Yet, amidst the comings and goings, there's a longing for something deeper—a sense of belonging, of finding home. And sometimes home isn't four walls and a roof. It is a stupid boy you met unexpectedly with the purest eyes, a contagious laugh and a love for sunflowers. And, you start realizing that you like yourself better with them.

There are many more such instances, relationships I tried putting into simple lines.

Such is life, interwoven, messy, complicated. As Mitch Albom said,“There are no random acts...We are all connected...You can no more separate one life from another than you can separate a breeze from the wind...”

As I come to the end of this blog, let me draw the most important one: The relationship with yourself.

it's like navigating a labyrinth, filled with twists and turns, highs and lows. We confront our fears, confront our insecurities, and confront the masks we wear to hide our true selves from the world. We learn to embrace our imperfections, celebrate our successes, and forgive ourselves for our shortcomings. We start to become kinder to ourselves.

Embrace this relationship with yourself, dear reader, for it's the most important one you'll ever have. And remember, the most fulfilling kind of love often begin with loving oneself first.

Illustrations were made on procreate. You can see my works and shop on www.payalmaloo.com/shop