Coloring inside the lines

As a young child I was taught, both at home and in school that when coloring in a pre-printed coloring book the correct method was to color only inside the lines. That was problematic for me as it took too long and made the activity, which was supposed to be fun, become a chore.

At one point I was given the tip (probably by one of my sisters, or maybe it was my brother) that making a thick line inside of the pre-printed lines with a crayon made the job go quicker. I think housepainters refer to this technique as ‘cutting in’. They typically do this, with a brush, around windows, doors, and trim. Then they finish up the other broad areas quickly with a roller or larger brush. It is a good first step to use in preparation for coloring too.

As a young lad I was impatient and figured I’d never be very good at coloring pictures that someone else had already drawn. I’m not very good at painting houses either. Anyone who visits my parents’ lake home in Ely will attest to that fact. I don’t mind doing it; I like to help when I can. I’m just not good at house painting or coloring, but both of my kids are good at both coloring AND painting. I guess at times the acorns DO fall far from the oak. But I digress.

Don’t get me wrong; I appreciate the value in preparing properly for each and every task. Whether it be studying for a test in school, getting ready for a day at work, or planning a weekend day of just farting around. Ya gotta be prepared.

I guess my real beef with coloring, was being handed someone else’s work in black and white and then being told to ‘be creative’ by filling in the blanks and staying inside the lines.

REALLY?

That’s not creativity, that’s conformity. Maybe I’m a rebel, but I’d rather color MY OWN artwork.

I guess my kindred spirit Peewee Herman summed it up, saying, “There’s things about me you WOULDN’T understand, you COULDN’T understand, you SHOULDN’T understand….I’m a loner Dottie, a rebel.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvVqWqi36vE

I know Peewee was not the type to stay within the lines.

I’m guessing that Phil Knight, the guy that started Nike, didn’t color within the lines. Now his company offers shoe and clothing lines in every color you can imagine (though he prefers to wear basic black).

Bill Gates? Probably drew his own lines. Then he figured out how to make a lot of money off of them.

Bill Clinton? Well, we all know he crossed a few lines. But he was a pretty good President, an even better ex-President in my view, and an outstanding speaker at my daughter's college graduation. But I digress (again).

School is now back in session, summer has ended, and time marches on. I imagine there are a lot of kids starting school with the Crayola 64 pack (the one with the sharpener built into the back) like I started kindergarten with.

I’m hoping that schools now encourage creativity differently than they did when I was a student. I didn’t enjoy staying within the lines (when coloring nor anything else scholastic), but I figured out early on that doing so made life as a student much easier. So I played the game and soldiered on. I did as I was told, played their game, and blended in and faded into the background.

Having now reached a ripe old age though, I encourage any and all who read this to, when the opportunity arises;

Color OUTSIDE the lines.

Draw YOUR OWN lines.

CROSS a few lines.

Life is short so you might as well stand out. Enjoy the journey. Listen to your inner voice. Do what you must to pay the bills (to avoid becoming a drain on society) but have fun at work, and more importantly, WORK AT HAVING FUN.

Travel even if money is tight.

Take up a hobby even if you’re not great at it.

Sing as loudly outside of the shower as you do while showering.

Dance with those you love even if you have two left feet.

Visit with friends often even if you’re busy.

Cherish family always even though they may be far away.

Help those less fortunate even though it’s easier to ignore their plight.

Instead of always looking ahead, look around and realize how truly blessed you’ve been.

I’m recalling that the most memorable parts of my life, the stuff that has made the whole experience worthwhile, have occurred more often than not, when I wasn’t coloring inside the lines.

Who knew?