Some time ago I posted a quick sketch I made on social media. It wasn’t my best but I just wanted to post it, spontaneously. Got a few likes, but one friend commented on what was ‘lacking’ in the sketch and how I can ‘fix’ it.

We have seen this many times, and I must confess I have done this too in the past. A friend is learning to cook and makes a dish, and you quickly comment what is missing. Or you compliment someone on their dress but quickly add how it can be enhanced.

It took me a while to understand how we put everything someone does under scrutiny, even when it not needed. Unsolicited feedback, even if you are knowledgeable and an expert in that field, is just that, unwanted!

Not everything which is created needs to be perfect. And like me, at times, one might just be having fun and exploring new hobbies and passions. In more subjective things like art and food, there is no one standard to impose on everyone. And definitely not so, if one didn’t explicitly ask for feedback.

So now I try to look at things with an open and curious mind. Many a times you can be pleasantly surprised at how other people do the same things, differently. Its a great learning opportunity to understand and appreciate the many ways of creating/doing something.

A quick sketch may be far from perfect for a trained eye.

But there lies the beauty, in it being imperfect, but real and personal!