A classic example of being in the right place at the right time.
I was eleven years old when my teacher announced a school-wide art competition. Every kid was supposed to participate. So, I brought in one of my creative work. It was a small wooden figurine of a resting deer made out of tangled roots of a tree.
I didn’t think much about it – I just did what I was supposed to do. Then, one day, the head teacher walked into the classroom and announced that my artwork won the first prize and that it was chosen to represent my school at a city-wide art competition.
A month later, the head teacher walked into the classroom again and told everyone that my project won the city-wide competition and that it was chosen to represent the city on the regional level. … And, as a reward, the city administration gave my family free admission with VIP sits to the best movie theater for 6 months.
In the spring, I got to know that my work was chosen to participate in the national art competition in Moscow. This time, I did not win. It was the last time that I have seen my “Deer”…