I liked it. I told myself after seeing my stain art. I didn’t even have to convince myself to like it. One look and I liked what I saw.

A month ago, I was part of a facilitating team for a camp activity. The day before the big day, I spent time digging in my cabinet looking for something to wear. Then I found my boring indigo short pants, which I haven’t touched for months already. It used to be my favorite when going out with friends. It still looked good. I took it though I really wanted to wear something new for the activity. With time constraint, my boring pair of shorts was my only best choice at the moment.

With gold, yellow and red paint, I was able to transform my boring shorts into a piece of art – as per as my own eyes could see.

On its front side, I sketched a circle using the rim of a glass. I wanted it to look like a coffee stain. And I made it! I felt excited wearing it in the camp. From the other side, I did splatter some paint on it. I was very happy with the result. And the following day, I wore it with pride.

“With bleach and hot water, those stains on your shorts will be gone in an instant,” one co-facilitator told me. I laughed at his comment. “It took me until midnight before achieving this stain result and you want me to remove it?” I replied.

I went home from the camp the following day. I stayed there overnight.

Fast forward… Days later… Outside my room there laid a white plastic bag filled with neatly folded clothes. Mrs. Sally must have returned my laundry early that day. She has been reliable in terms of doing my laundry. Right from the bag I took my indigo shorts. I’d use it for the day to the city. I was surprised at what I saw. My stain art was gone. My boring pair of shorts was clean as new. And it was boring again. I couldn’t imagine how Mrs. Sally removed the paint. She must have thought how clumsy I was with coffee.

Like a stain art that was amusing to me, it was pure stain to others. For them there is nothing else we could do with stain but remove it.

Sometimes when I look in the mirror, I feel good at what I see. Remembering my stain art, I thought other eyes must have seen it differently.