Crayon therapy

I did survive my vacation. I had a wonderful time in both San Francisco and Seattle as well as my brief visit to Portland, Oregon. I reconnected with several friends and made some new ones. I also ate a lot of good food and saw the sights in both cities.

On May 2nd as I made my trip back to the east coast - I had 2+ hour layover at O'Hare Airport. I almost said Chicago - but I was far from Chicago! So I looked for a restaurant that would allow me to sit down and relax with lunch. I even had a glass of wine.

This was a restaurant that has paper over the tablecloths and provides crayons. Not only am I presented with a blank canvas, I am given some colors - a very limited palette - to work with. And I have always found coloring to be a very therapeutic activity.

Just the smell of crayons will take me back to my childhood - when my life was simpler and involved lots more playtime than my adult life allows. I had forgotten how wonderful coloring is until several years ago I was on a work assignment in another city. I was there for two weeks. I had taken books to read etc. but that wasn't doing it for me. I was alone in the evenings and there wasn't much to do but watch television. So I walked to the nearby department store and bought a box of crayons and a coloring book. So each evening after dinner, I sat at the table in my room and watched television and colored.

Now I have a couple of coloring books and on occasion I will sit and color while I'm watching tv. it is very relaxing.

So back to the layover in O'Hare. My first drawing was of a village next to a lake. And then I drew the parrot above. I decided to keep that drawing and share it with others here.

If you are ever feeling overwhelmed with life - sit down with a box of crayons and a coloring book. Don't worry about coloring inside the lines. (Okay - I stay inside the lines - but not everyone needs to do that.) Color a few pictures - don't worry about where you start in the coloring book either. Find a picture that you want to color - one that says - this person is wearing a blue shirt and in no time at all you'll feel more relaxed.