The research is out there- colors within the environment that we live and work can really effect your affect. When I was a child, one of my greatest joys was opening a new box of crayons. The 100 crayons box was my favorite because of the variety of all the different colors. Plus, there is that cool sharpener on the back. I would appreciate all the neatly aligned beautiful new colors. Before making the determined decision to create my own personal masterpiece, I would roll them around in my hands, and try to guess the names. Then would come the moment I would peek to see if I was correct. Let’s see, how do you tell the difference between red-orange and orange-red? It was always fun to see if I could guess which one was which.
As an adult, I continue to enjoy a new box of crayons, even when I’m giving them to my children, I secretly can’t wait for them to open the box and show me the colors. The sight of all the colors, the smooth appearance of the wax, and even the smell can bring me the nostalgia of my earlier years and the bittersweet moments of becoming the person that I am today.
I am constantly discovering who that person is. Do you ever feel that way? However, unlike the crayons, I cannot tell you how much I do not want to be labeled and put in a box. I am so much more than what can be described in that way. Perhaps I can describe myself as out of the box even though that seems so cliche.
In a world that forces us to define ourselves, take comfort and know that you can always be redefined. With God, he already knows who you are and he can help you discover the best way for you to be you.
If I am anything, I hope that I am a person who attempts to learn rather than to know. If I can continue to approach life with an attitude of, “What can I learn?”, I could possibly call myself a life long learner. That might be the best title I’ve heard and the highest compliment anyone could give to another person.
As for discovering new colors, I have graduated to looking at and studying the color wheel. I am currently looking for my favorite rendition of the color wheel to frame and hang in my home. What is it about forming combinations of these colors that makes me so happy? Perhaps it is the not-knowing that keeps me going. Have I found the best complimentary color to my current favorite of the day? What if I put a third color next to it? It’s so hard to narrow down my favorites, especially when they keep changing. The best part is, I don’t have to. We are free to pick and choose, to look or not to look, and we can spend as much or as little time doing so. What a great world God has created for us to live in-where there is so much variety.
I think I’m going to open up a box of colors and see what I can create today.