CHAPTER 9: NEW THINGS MEAN NEW LEARNING

"Alright, alright, I'll help him," she agreed reluctantly. "By the way, what's his disorder?" she asked, her curiosity piqued.

Grandma was overjoyed when she convinced Zarina.

'Yes! This is the start of their love story. Hooray! I'm still the best matchmaker in town. Their love story will be so thrilling, a perfect tale of two different people brought together by love,' Grandma thought, giggling as these happy thoughts filled her mind.

Grandma cleared her throat and took a moment to gather her thoughts before explaining, "Draymond has OCD." she said shortly. 

"Huh, what's that?" Zarina asked, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"OCD, or Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. It's like having a persistent, unwanted companion in your mind. It makes you doubt even simple actions, convincing you that something terrible will happen if you don't perform certain rituals," Grandma explained, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

Zarina gasped, finding it hard to believe.

Grandma sighed deeply before continuing, "OCD messes with your mind, making you worry all the time. It tricks you into thinking that doing specific routines or rules will stop bad things from happening," she explained further.

Zarina stared at her Grandma, her curiosity growing deeper. 

"What happens if they do what their mind says?" she asked with concern.

Grandma went on, "Well, it might make them feel better for a little while. But the more they do it, the worse it becomes. It turns into a never-ending loop. That's the tough part about OCD. Giving in to these rituals just makes it stronger. It's like a battle between common sense and the irrational fears caused by the disorder."

Zarina mumbled, "That's really sad," biting her nails.

With a curious look in her eyes, Zarina asked, "Why does he have it? What makes it happen?"

Grandma tried to remember what she'd read in her medical books. "Well, I don't know the exact cause. However, a lot of people with OCD experience a tragic past. Whatever it is, it's really painful; it's like going through torture every day," Grandma explained, reaching for a grapefruit on the table.

'I've been so caught up in my thoughts that I didn't even notice there's fruit on this table,' Grandma thought, scolding herself briefly.

Zarina was also occupied with her own thoughts. 'Draymond must have gone through a lot,' she reflected. 

Then, she looked at her Grandma seriously. Then she asked, "So, what can I do to help him?"

Grandma smiled genuinely.

She locks her eyes to Zarina," Simple, just distract him from his intrusive thoughts. And made him realize that it is okay to make mistakes." Grandma said with a serious and gentle tone.

****

Time passes by quickly, like the blink of an eye. Surprisingly, there were no arguments between Draymond and Zarina. 

Zarina became busy with her work, while Draymond spent most of his time inside Zarina's room to recuperate.

One peaceful afternoon, Zarina was sitting on the porch, the gentle breeze of air playing with her hair. 

In front of her was Grandma's landscape, bloomed with colorful potted flowers and hanging plants along the fence. The joyful laughter of children nearby filled the air.

Zarina sat in the vacant space, her eyes staring blankly in the distance, lost in her own contemplations.

Zarina had become a top fashion designer. Her stunning creations had lit up runways and adorned celebrities on red carpets, making her the highest-paid designer at 'EleganceEra.' 

However, today was different. She faced a creative block, struggling to craft the perfect design for a particularly demanding client.

Previously, her mind overflowed with ideas, but now it resembled a chaotic storm of frustration and doubt. Confusion reigned as she struggled to find clarity and let her creativity flow freely.

'What's going on with me?' Zarina wondered, her mind echoing with the ghostly absence of her once-vivid ideas. 

'I used to have a constant flow of ideas, like a river. Now, it feels like I'm in a creative desert, dry and barren.' Her thoughts raced as she desperately looked for inspiration. 

'I can't afford to disappoint my clients. But how can I meet their expectations when I haven't met them yet?' 

The immense pressure of their huge expectations bore down on her. "They anticipate something extraordinary, but all I possess are shattered fragments of ideas that lead to nothing," frustration screamed through her mind.

'I'm at a loss; I don't know what to do anymore. It's so frustrating! What's wrong with me?' she mentally cried out, her self-doubt echoing like a haunting voice playing repeatedly. 

"I don't even know what this client wants. I keep making designs, and they keep rejecting them. It's so frustrating! Why won't they meet with me and talk about what they like? Even royalty sits down with designers to discuss their clothes, but this person won't even do that and still expects so much," she grumbled in exasperation.

She leaned her chin on her hands, lost in thought, struggling with her creative dilemma.

"Maybe they're looking for something truly unique? But all my designs are unique! Perhaps they want something personalized? How am I supposed to personalize without even meeting them? All I know is that the client is wealthy and incredibly has high demands. Do they want gold accents on their suits or precious gems? What about something exotic, completely out of this world? Ugh! It's driving me crazy!" Zarina exclaimed in her mind, her agitation causing her to scratch her head as if she could physically pull inspiration from it.

"Zarina, honey," Grandma Martha's gentle voice broke through Zarina's mental turmoil, causing her to turn her attention to her grandmother.

Zarina looked at her Grandma, who was walking towards her, and let out a sigh, feeling really stressed and frustrated. She opened up to her Grandma, saying, "I'm having a hard time with this special client, Grandma. They want a lot, and I just can't figure out the perfect design. I don't even know what they're looking for, and it's really getting to me!"

Martha sat beside her, and Zarina poured out her heart, saying, "I'm really stuck, Grandma. I can't think clearly about what to design. It's so stressful, and I feel exhausted." She sounded tired and overwhelmed.

Grandma nodded, understanding the weight of Zarina's struggle. She knew how hardworking and dedicated her granddaughter was, always striving for excellence and never settling for less.

With a comforting touch on Zarina's shoulders, Grandma Martha began to share her wisdom. "You know, honey," she said in a soothing voice, "I've always known you as a fantastic fashion designer with a unique gift for connecting with your clients on a deeper level. Your creations reflect not just their style but their very essence. That's your strength in this field. Just like when I was a doctor, I would talk to my patients to truly understand their symptoms and medical history, which helped me diagnose their conditions better. But fashion is a different world. As a designer, you have the freedom to create from your own imagination. You have limitless possibilities."

Grandma continued, "Instead of trying to create designs based on your client's preferences. Why don't you focus on expressing your own art? Fashion is about expressing your unique identity and creating designs that reflect your own likeness and creativity. Don't be afraid to try new things, honey, because new things mean new learning."

Grandma's advice left Zarina speechless.