The Horizon · An original Alrewaq story

The Blue Line

An open sketchbook with imperfect blue drawings of cups, a blue pen, and a real cup.

Yusuf had bought a sketchbook months ago, but kept putting off the first page. He was waiting for a clear day, plenty of time, and an idea worthy of the paper. One ordinary evening, he saw a notice for an open class at the nearby library. He took the sketchbook along and sat at the far end of the table.

An open sketchbook with imperfect blue drawings of cups, a blue pen, and a real cup.

The teacher asked everyone to draw a cup. Yusuf drew a slanting blue line, then tried to erase it and smudged the page. He asked whether he could start again. She pointed to the space that was left and said, “Try here too.” He drew a second cup, then a third. One leaned as though it were about to spill its water, and he laughed.

An open sketchbook with imperfect blue drawings of cups, a blue pen, and a real cup.

On his way home, he stopped at the bakery window and noticed for the first time the different shadows of the cups on the shelf. At home, he opened the sketchbook to the same page and added a fourth cup. He did not hang it on the wall, and he did not tear it out. He left the pen between two pages so that he would know where to begin the next day.

Reflection

A first attempt may teach us to notice what we could not see before. You can begin with what you have, then see what your hand and eye have learned.

What beginning are you putting off because you want to get it right the first time?

Alrewaq
Read as text

Yusuf had bought a sketchbook months ago, but kept putting off the first page. He was waiting for a clear day, plenty of time, and an idea worthy of the paper. One ordinary evening, he saw a notice for an open class at the nearby library. He took the sketchbook along and sat at the far end of the table.

The teacher asked everyone to draw a cup. Yusuf drew a slanting blue line, then tried to erase it and smudged the page. He asked whether he could start again. She pointed to the space that was left and said, “Try here too.” He drew a second cup, then a third. One leaned as though it were about to spill its water, and he laughed.

On his way home, he stopped at the bakery window and noticed for the first time the different shadows of the cups on the shelf. At home, he opened the sketchbook to the same page and added a fourth cup. He did not hang it on the wall, and he did not tear it out. He left the pen between two pages so that he would know where to begin the next day.

Reflection

A first attempt may teach us to notice what we could not see before. You can begin with what you have, then see what your hand and eye have learned.

What beginning are you putting off because you want to get it right the first time?

Alrewaq
About this story & sources

An original Alrewaq story, translated from Arabic.