I was not born to draw. However, one day, after a nap, I felt the urge to draw. I drew without the slightest hesitation, as if I were a grandmaster, one who was immersed in a heap of golden sunflowers with a burning passion for arts, lingering solely beneath sapphire decor. But having seen my “masterpiece,” my fellows sneered at me ruthlessly, “What a gross thing! Do you call that crude deer with a pitiable look a masterpiece?” I have to admit that it hurt at first, since they were commenting thoughtlessly, disregarding the connotation and the abstract beauty of my drawing. Frankly, the deer did look a little like a mutant, but is there an exact definition of beauty?

    My bitterness then slipped away at the sight of my drawing. I felt a little narcissistic and complacent. Irrational and intertwining feelings were just like streams of gurgling water gently flowing from a faraway hillside. I could not help being intoxicated by this glittering creature and imaginary scenes that were surging up in my mind. Beams of pastel sheen were diffusing above the velvet sky inlaid with crystal stars. A voice started reverberating, calm but encouraging, “You are the grandmaster of your own.” I was neither humiliated nor depressed anymore. Strong faith enabled me to handle those malicious remarks with ease.

    It reminds me of a story about Vincent van Gogh. One of his neighbors once said, “It is ridiculous for you to call him a genius. He was totally mad. He was a psychotic!” However, who is to say that he was not one of the greatest artists of all time? Who is to say that the sunflowers, the irises and the poppies he painted were not lily-white, blazing and moving? And who is to say that his eternal pursuit of art, beauty and a dream was a mistake?

    This brought a Korean book written by Kim Namdo to my mind, which said, “One will not succeed without eagerness from a very deep heart.” Nowadays, manipulated by a conformist mentality, which means drifting with the current when making decisions, we care less about what we really want to do and what kind of people we genuinely want to grow up to be. Forgetting or ignoring one’s glowing dreams seems more realistic; nonetheless, one may forget the heat of life as well.

    Passion comes from the Latin word “passio,” which means music that signifies agony and suffering. It is undeniable that passion is always accompanied by vexation. Pain and soreness come originally from the choice you made — to quit a cozy life and follow your dreams.