Every wall in my house used to be painted white. Over the years, I began faux painting various walls and rooms. I started playing with different colors and techniques. Each time that I undertake a new painting project, an interesting phenomenon happens. About a third of the way into the project, I look back at my work and think, ‘Oh, no! What have I done?’ The very first time this happened to me, I nearly repainted the wall and gave up. But instead, I just kept going. When I was done and stepped away from my work, I was amazed. It looked completely different. I was no longer overwhelmed by the drastic change or my minor mistakes. I was overwhelmed by the beauty of the project as a whole.

In many ways, raising our kids is like taking that leap of faith to splash color on white walls. We have to break rules, be brave and do things a different way. We experiment and try new techniques and new colors till we find the right fit. So while teachers, relatives and outsiders in general might all be pointing to the plain white paint, we know our kids need something different—something that will help them create a beautiful life. But it’s a scary work at times with answers that aren’t clear. That first brush stroke may be the hardest. There is fear of failure and fear of the unknown. It may get a little messy on the edges and you may leave spots on the ceiling and drips on the floor. After committing to a course, you may get part way through and think, ‘Oh, no! What have I done?’ What should you do then?

My advice is not to panic. Give it a chance. Stay the course for a bit before you step back and evaluate the results. It will only be after you have persevered that you can truly see the beauty of your work. And what if it doesn’t turn out exactly as you want? Then pick another layer of color and paint a little more. There will be touch ups and clean ups but it will be worth it. Hopefully in the process you will teach your kids to take their own course, paint their own way and create their own beauty.

Happy painting!!