I recall some of my school teachers telling me to colour within the lines when I was a kid. They'd get annoyed as I would often break out and ruin the picture I was colouring, in their eyes at least. I thought I was being creative I suppose, and in reality was probably simply exploring the boundaries, seeing what I was capable of and being a typical kid.
It used to infuriate my teachers and they would say things like "you will never amount to anything", send notes home to my parents or chastise me in various ways teachers felt were legitimate back then.
At the time I probably wondered why, but with a child's understanding and intelligence, although as I got older I came to see it for what it was and inevitably rebel against it.
Years later I'm glad I did what I did. Sure, I was probably not the model student; Partially because I had lost any respect for what the "teachers" were all about and their methods of going about it and certainly had nothing but scorn and derision for a person in an educational role who could bring themselves to say, "you will never amount to anything," to a young kid of 7-16 years old. However I'm pleased that I stood my ground as a person.
I chose not to embrace to their ideal, to buy-into the limits they attempted to impose. I removed the barriers of conformity and broke out of the constraints of their limiting ethos.
Never amount to anything.
Yes, that was always a possibility I suppose, however as it turns out it wasn't to be the case. I, in fact, amounted to something and am happy with who I am and what I have achieved.
Colouring within the lines has a place, an aesthetic appeal, and there is certainly nothing wrong with it - Having the choice to choose not to is the way forward though, or at least it was for me.
Life isn't a perfectly coloured in picture and to move through it from behind safe barriers, mental or emotional constraints, is to not achieve full potential.
Just my opinion.
