Marlow's Musings 9/03/23
Insights, adventures and fun stuff from this week.
Audio narration by David Marlow
Sky Blues and Other Hues
There was nothing like it in the whole of childhood. Even Christmas paled in comparison to the completeness of opening a brand new box of 64 Crayola Crayons.
The smell, the look, the worlds of possibilities contained in that green and orange box.
In Mrs. Davis’ first-grade class, drawing was a big deal. Even bigger than spelling, and I know because I didn’t miss a single spelling word all year. I was the only kid who didn’t, and it wasn’t my spelling that was celebrated by being posted on the wall above the blackboard before parent-teacher conferences.
It was a tiger, or rather, my drawing of a tiger lying down in a jungle.
I’m not sure why tigers fascinated me. Something about the mix of color and the distinction of stripes.
It could have been experiencing The Jungle Book (the original Disney animation) at the now-historic Indiana Theater. Though I think the tiger was the bad guy in that movie.
I was six or seven at the time, I can’t recall.
Even to this day, though, the tigers are the first animals I want to see at the zoo.
My drawing went on the wall above the blackboard. It was good, and I know it was good because of two things.
When Mrs. Davis showed it to the class, some kids accused me of ‘tracing’ it. Tracing was the ultimate cheat in the kid world of drawing.
If the picture was good, the first thing to determine was whether it had been traced. If so, it was immediately discounted as a counterfeit.
Fortunately for me, it was easy to prove it wasn’t traced, as that assignment had to be completed in class.
The other way I knew it was good, I’ll share in a minute.
My mom came home from the parent-teacher conference with the drawing.
Mrs. Davis, my mother would later tell me, said I was an exceptional drawer. Again, nothing about my spelling. Didn’t miss a word the whole year, you know. The only kid that didn’t.
She gave it to my mom, along with some other examples of my work. There was some additional feedback about David being a fine young man who needs to pay attention more, talk less during class, blah blah blah.
My mom kept almost nothing I made in school. The tiger she kept. Years later, as an adult, I found it in a drawer, and looking at it without the biased lens of a kid can say it was a good drawing for a first-grader.
It was exceptional for another reason. I finished it.
As a kid, I loved coloring. Sky blue, you know, that slightly pale blue at the edge of the horizon like the picture above. I loved that color. It was always the first crayon to be used up.
Everything I would draw or color had sky blue in it and lots of it.
Everything but the tiger. He was deep in the jungle, and there was no sky to be seen.
Something I didn’t love was finishing a coloring project.
Opening a brand new page in a coloring book, I’d get a vision of what a picture could be and work tirelessly until most of it was colored in. Then, I’d get bored and start another, leaving the first one unfinished.
If my grandmother caught me doing that, she’d make me complete the prior picture before starting a new one.
I hated that!
Not the tiger. Unlike the coloring books, there was no drawing to fill in. There was no background to leave undone; the background had to be created. The tiger in the jungle was completely my creation.
It hadn’t hit me until now as I am writing this.
I finished the tiger.
The tiger was a finished project; there wasn’t a dot of sky blue. My mom kept it, and it was nearly the only thing she ever kept.
It almost makes me long to start school again and get a new box of 64.
We did without a lot growing up. I always had a new box of crayons to start the year.
David, you know, is an exceptional drawer.
Word of the Week
Vorfreude: (n)
vor·freu·de /ˈfɔːrˌfroiːdə/
1: The joyful anticipation of a future moment, a feeling that fuels purposeful excitement.
I have a fondness for discovering words that enrich our language and offer profound meanings. Among these treasures is "Vorfreude," a German term that encapsulates the exhilarating sensation of eagerly awaiting a future moment with a sense of purposeful excitement.
In case you missed it…
As part of the Ikigai Lexicon, I’m sharing posts about the 47 Big Bold Beautiful Benefits of Ikigai.
This week was on Continuous Learning, and I shared this video on LinkedIn…
5 Telltale Signs Your Learning Journey Needs a Spark
Ikiquest+
This week in Ikiquest+…I created this Coffee Meditation for Plus subscribers.
It’s a walking meditation where I take you on a contemplative stroll through my yard, sharing my thoughts after a morning run.
Inspired by two thought-provoking books, "The Creative Act" by Rick Rubin and "Wanting" by Luke Burgess, I'm making a conscious decision to focus on the depth of my artistry. This revelation was prompted by the story of a renowned chef who walked away from three Michelin stars to embrace the true essence of his craft.
I share more in the walking meditation.
Quote I’m Pondering
When you’re nervous about stepping outside of your comfort zone, remind yourself:
“It feels scary because it’s unfamiliar, not because I’m incapable.”
Michell C. Clark
Comment of the Week:
The comment this week comes from Tracey, who catches up on all the posts each weekend.
“Weekends find a new dimension of excitement with your content that seamlessly marries intellectual stimulation with leisurely engagement. Your posts have this incredible knack for sparking curiosity while also offering a welcomed pause for reflection. “
Such a nice thing to say and precisely what I hope to convey. 🙏🏻
Fun Thing I Saw This Week
I found this while doing research for this Musing, and it brought back many memories of days gone by.
Since crayons kicked off the conversation, it is most appropriate to share what, for myself and many others, is a favorite crayon moment.
It is a clip from Mr. Rogers showing how crayons are made.
Final Thoughts
As I shared earlier this week, I’m experiencing a vorfreude, a joyful anticipation of a future moment as we await the birth of our new grandson.
Well, he has decided to keep us waiting past his due date. 😉
My grandmother would have said he is showing early signs of Marlow bullheadedness.1
It did give me time to put another coat of paint on his star and finalize the name of his bear.
I’m going with Artos.
Artos in this version is from ancient Celtic for bear. Not just the animal but a fierce fighter and defender like a bear. That imagery fits with what I hope the bear provides for him. Comfort and protection.
Don’t you think he looks like an Artos?
🌀Quest well
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Bullheaded: resolute adherence to your own ideas or desires