As I wrote out my Morning Pages, I had a “hit” concerning the arrow of desire that I would draw today. A short time later, as I stirred the slips of paper, I wondered if my hunch would prove correct. I felt a slight resistance toward carrying out that particular creative action, even though I created the activity.
My intuition was spot on. I drew this creative action:
Name coloring book.
On the surface, this was a great activity for today, requiring thought mostly, and a short amount of time with pen and paper. Last year I wholeheartedly embraced the adult coloring craze. Coloring has been compared to meditation because of its positive effects on the mind and body. I agree. I find coloring, using colored pencils in a variety of books, relaxing and centering.
Recently, as I was working in the garden, an idea took shape in my mind, for a new coloring book. In a short time, I had the theme worked out and a layout planned featuring whimsical pictures to color with an inspiring quote on the facing page that could also be colored.
I’m pleased with how it all came together. The theme incorporates a life journey, with different scenes representing different stages of the journey. The style is fun and enchanting, and encouraging too. The pages tell a story without using words.
And there are subtle teaching elements. For example, all that the traveler in my coloring book needs, is already present. A few objects on the page hint at what lies ahead, “just around the river bend”. While items no longer needed for this part of the journey are left behind, released after serving their purposes. There are clues and hidden meanings and a definite flow, just as there are in life.
When I wrote out 30 creative actions, 30 arrows of desire, I included two that encouraged me to take action steps toward making this idea a reality. Today I had fun playing with words for a title. Thinking I had to have “Journey” as part of the title, I tried a variety of combinations, such as Life is a Journey and The Amazing Journey.
I eliminated several titles that I jotted down because they are already in use. Ultimately, I questioned my belief that journey had to be a key word in the title. What flowed, as soon as I surrendered to other possibilities was this:
Beautiful Wandering: A Coloring Adventure
I like it. For now that’s my working title for this project. It captures what I am presenting.
So why did I feel resistance to creating a title for a fun artistic idea? That was where today’s arrow of desire led me. I know that when I feel resistance it is a signal that I am moving out of the flow. My awareness goes inward, to see what’s going on at a deeper level.
At the center of my unease I found fear of failure. I received this lovely idea. However, do I believe that I have the artistic ability to bring it to fruition? I truly believe that if I did not, the idea would not have been given to me. Yet deep in my heart, there is doubt.
I realized that when I was younger, and sketched almost daily, I would have been confident in my ability to draw these coloring pages. The lack of expressing myself through drawing has eroded both my ability and my belief that I can create in this way.
This then is the perfect opportunity to re-engage my artistic side and to see what I can create. I have been invited to share, by way of an idea that has been born out of my passion for coloring and my passion for journeying well through life.
I am grateful that I drew this activity today. I needed to track this arrow of desire, to discover what was holding me back. Somewhere in my glass pitcher is a folded slip of paper with another creative action written on it, that will call forth my sketching abilities, challenging me to draw all of the components of Beautiful Wandering.
Whether this project is successful, or I’m the only one who ever colors on the pages, is not the point. What is important is, will I do something with the idea that has been entrusted to me? Will I stretch and grow…and draw? I believe I can do this. I’m excited.
