Share your Beebo
The first time I heard about my inner child was the first day of my foundation year at the National Institute of Design (NID). Prof. Mohan Bhandari welcomed us with, “During the foundation year in design you will unlearn what you learned in high school and reclaim your childlike freshness”. That sounded pretty cool though didn’t mean much then to the 16 year old high school graduates.
Of course, the foundation year of the design education was different. It involved learning to observe and sense our surroundings. We learned to ask “why?” a question that would have been seen as disrespect, defiance or insubordination in high school; we developed sensitivity to nuances of form, color, sounds and the interplay between form and space. Above all we learned to care for and to love what was going to be our work for the rest of our lives.
46 years after that day in Prof Bhandari’s class I discovered Beebo: our inner child. I learned how fortunate I was to not let go of my Beebo as age was catching up with me.
I remember so many interactions from the past with other grown ups where I would intuitively interpret and express what was obvious to my curious eye when others in the room would endlessly argue about closely held beliefs and their biased view of the situation.
Beebo has helped me to never shy away from trying something for fear of being proved wrong or of failing. Beebo has helped me pay attention to poeple’s emotions, body language and energy than to get caught up in their words.
I now know what Prof Bhandari meant that day at NID- we don’t know what we don’t know. Therefore, We should not let what we know get in the way of knowing what we don’t know.
I have invited a group of highly curious, compassionate and creative individuals to share their interpretation of what their Beebo means to them during the virtual book release of “Finding Your Beebo” on Sunday July 11th.
Our senior most speaker Prof Sudhakar Nadkarni amazes me with how he has maintained his connection to his Beebo.
This morning he sent me this sketch of his Beebo and with it a poem that he plans to read during the book release.
I am curious to learn more about what has always intrigued me about Prof Nadkarni. How does he manage to maintain his childlike freshness through over 65 years of professional career? I think I know the answer. I am looking for details.
I am inspired by this sketch of his Beebo. I would love to ask the readers of this blog to take a pen in your hand and express your Beebo, just as Prof. Nadkarni did.
