Study of Eyes

Around us, life bursts forth with miracles—a ray of sunshine, a leaf, a caterpillar, a flower, laughter, raindrops. If we live in awareness, it is easy to see miracles everywhere. Each human being is a multiplicity of miracles. Eyes that see thousands of colors, shapes, and form.

—Thich Nhat Hanh

We used art as our tool to slow down and to learn more about each other. Each child worked with a classmate for a focused, meditative study of one eye. With one child paired with another for half an hour, we patiently drew in silence, allowing us to discover more about their unique nature. They looked into the eyes of another, smiling: “There’s so much I want to learn about you.” What stares back in these focused, exaggerated pastel studies is the tender soul of each child. This is what we learned when we asked to know more: “I am a tomboy.” “ I don’t like quiet. “ “I am a deeply artistic person who hates plants.” “I like both science and art.”