Crayon Box 

I was reminded of the colors in a Crayon box as I put away a Christmas gift, a box of colored pencils. Each time I sit in front of my computer or pull out my pad and pen, I open my brain’s Crayon box. Sometimes I stare at the rainbow of waxy tips trying to decide which one I will pull out and begin to draw the picture I see in my mind. What word will I start my tale? Which order will I place the ideas so they make more sense? Can I place them properly so others can share the vision that I see?

Actually, I can physically paint and draw well enough to satisfy my needs, but I am in no way an exemplary artist, so I have reverted to presenting a picture by shaping and designing the tale with my words. Choosing the correctly “colored” word is sometimes a long process, requiring me to erase, change, and intensify a single word to say what I really want to express. I know that they say, “A picture paints a thousand words” so I have my work cut out for me each time I try to share a memory, a vision, or a story. Painting with words, I also expect to use your own thoughts and imagination to fill in the shades of colors between the outline I have drawn. I want to share ideas that resonate with other folks past experiences or that stir their imagination.

Each time I sit to write, I stare at an empty white screen or a clean yellow and blue lined page. I open that box, to allow my thoughts wander before pulling out the first Crayon to make the first stroke. Often my ideas swirl like a kaleidoscope or a maelstrom, waiting for something to fall out, waiting for something to tempt me, to impress me enough to put it down on paper, to share it with you, and attempt to express it deeply enough for you to see my vision.

The cool thing about Crayons is that no matter whether they are old and worn down, they can still be used to create something beautiful. I am often feeling worn down and old, but I do my best to create something beautiful for you all.