I love school supplies! I recall fondly the days of filling my school bag with everything new. Notebooks blank, ready to record facts, scribble designs, invite imagination. The box filled with pencils of all kinds, and in the younger years, our crayons.
Seeing crayons brings forth another fond memory of a student named Tommy. I met Tommy when he was beginning high school, well past the days of being excited about the school supplies. Tommy was struggling with some recent decisions he had made. One day, he said that he longed for the simpler times when he had a box of crayons with his name on it, and all activities for the day were planned for him.
Tommy’s innocence, sincerity and desire to grow touched me. I wanted him to know that I understood his fears and those moments when decisions feel overwhelming. I know there are days when I feel lost, confused, and just want to be guided on the next step.
When our time together was over I gave Tommy a gift – a box of eight crayons with his name on it. Each crayon had its own instruction. I told Tommy when he felt lost and confused to pick a color and let it inspire and direct him.
The instructions were simple:
Live your dreams
Be the change you want to see
Open yourself to possibilities
Look for the positive
Create the life you imagine
Invite abundance
Be true to yourself
Live peacefully
Tommy probably wanted more specific instructions in his crayons. Yet, sometimes when we are feeling lost, a reminder to ‘open yourself to possibilities’ helps us to see a different choice, more options, a new direction. Sometimes a reminder to ‘be true to me’ helps me center and remember who I am.
Guidance can come in so many ways. I invite you to open your eyes and see it all around you. It just might be in that very colorful aisle right around the corner!