The World is a Mess

The world is a mess.

Of course it is.

Two artists, fathers, Colin and Joshua, both want something to put up to decorate the hallway in their houses – and as artists, they both decide to do it themselves.

Colin sits down in his studio and begins to paint. He works hard and carefully, and his technique is flawless. Every curve is perfect, every colour precisely lifelike and every shadow sharp and real. He sits back and smiles, the perfect painting. He carries it inside and hangs it in the house – his children gather round and admire his work – they compliment him warmly, they are all very impressed, and very proud to have such a talented artist for a father, very pleased to have such a beautiful painting in their house.

Joshua sits down and thinks for a moment. Then he walks to the easel, lifts off the canvas, and puts it down on the floor of his shed. Then he gets out three palettes and fills them with all sorts of brilliant colours. He mixes blues and greens and violets and oranges, and each of the colours is different, and each of them is marvellous. And once he has done this, he walks out of his shed, through the garden, and up to the house. He calls his children, and invites them to follow him back to Daddy’s painting shed. Then he gives them each their own palette of colours and one of his brushes, and says, “Go on, paint! Paint whatever you like – I want it to be beautiful”. And he watches them set to it with glee. Sometimes he crouches down to give them advice, or guide their hand into something especially wonderful. After a while he stops just watching, mixes some colours of his own and kneels down beside them to join in. He sees what they are doing and he adds to it, he reflects it, he draws what they are doing together into one painting with incredible skill – picking the perfect colours and shapes to combine the work of his children. And soon enough the canvas is completely full, and they all step back and look at their work. They can all see that it’s not perfect. The older brother scowls at his siblings when he sees the splodges and blobs they’ve put on by accident, and his sister almost starts to cry when she realises that she’s nearly ruined a whole corner by trying something far more complicated than she could really manage. They all agree that it’s a mess. But as they look at it they all start to say that they think perhaps it is a good mess. Joshua tells them that he thinks it is glorious. They all smile, even though they’re not entirely sure what that means! Then he tells them all to help him carry it inside, and they take it in and hang it up. And every one of them feels very proud indeed that he wanted to put up their painting. And he gives each of them a big hug and tells them that he’s proud of them.

But somehow none of them feels like they are quite finished. And after a while the oldest brother looks at his father and says, “Daddy, couldn’t you try again? You could take all the good bits from what we’ve done but start again and do it without all the mess! Maybe we could even help, if you showed us what to do?” Their hearts all leapt up in their chests – that was a very exciting suggestion indeed!

And Joshua looked at them all and smiled his very biggest smile – it was their favourite smile.

“Son,” he said, “that’s exactly what I’m going to do.”

So here's the question: which is the better painting?

Who is the better artist?

And who would you rather have for a father?