The world can feel a little wobbly some days, especially when we’re busy with work, taking care of parents, crafting yet another home-cooked meal, or trying not to melt down over another “zoom school” crisis.
But think back “before” (you remember “before” right?) we had ever heard the name “Covid-19” or “corona virus” and “pandemic” sounded like something from ancient history. Coloring back in those times was comforting and stress relieving and actually fun! Maybe you’ve set it aside since there are just so many things to take care of right now but now—especially now, coloring can be an even greater source of comfort and a place to bring something beautiful back to your world.
Think of the sound of the pencil moving across the page of your coloring book, filling in spaces with rich hues and shades of your favorite colors. The mini-choices you get to make that are all yours, the impact of those decisions is minimal; they are purely there to make you a tiny bit happier, nothing earth shattering here. There is no wrong when it comes to coloring. You think those flowers look better in purple? Go ahead. Or red. Or orange. It’s all up to you.
I realized after drawing the pages of over 25 coloring books that once they are placed in your hands, they become yours, not mine. You didn’t color a Ronnie Walter picture, you colored a Sarah Smith, or Yvonne York or a Patti Parsons. It’s yours now, all yours. Make it the way you want to. You have the power, my dear!
Finding a quiet spot for yourself amid uncertainty, noise and confusion is one of the healthiest things you can do for yourself these days (along with wearing a mask in public and eating a vegetable now and then). Creative expression in any form sooths us, encourages us, and gives us a place to put all those feelings. We get to leave them on the page. Oh, and you get a cool picture and memory to boot!
I’d call that a win-win—especially in weird times like these.
-Ronnie
