This weekend, in between lying around like a worthless lump and working, I decided I wanted a creative outlet. I didn’t have the energy to pull out all my scrap booking, or to make another attempt at magnetic poetry. Honestly, I really didn’t have energy for much of anything. I wanted something simple that I could sit in one place and do and not use massive amounts of brain power.

I decided I wanted to color.

I bought a box of Crayola crayons about a year back, along with a sketch pad. I’ve used to doodle a bit, but honestly, I’m not much of a blank slate kind of person when it comes to drawing. Unless it’s simple lines and shapes, I can’t do much. I had wanted to get a coloring book to go with the crayons, but couldn’t find any at Target. I had been meaning to get to Dollar Tree and get some, but that didn’t help me when I was sitting at home, feeling under the weather.

So… Google to the rescue! I googled “coloring pages” and didn’t find anything inspiring. I wanted more than Power Rangers or Care Bears. Although I knew I was taking a chance, I googled “adult coloring pages.” Luckily, nothing risque popped up, and I found a great website that had some more detailed coloring pages.

I printed off several, and gathering together my crayons and a lap desk, I sat outside in the sunshine while I colored. When I got too hot, I took my coloring party back inside and put a movie on while I finished.

It brought me back to the time on tour with the African Children’s Choir when I sat down with my kids at a host family. The family had spread out a variety of coloring books, crayons and markers for the kids. Instead of just watching them, I picked up a crayon, opened to a fun page, and began to color.

One of my girls looked up and said with an element of surprise in her voice;

“Auntie! You know to color!”

As if her auntie was not capable of fun things and only did boring, adult things. (Of course, my children were also awe inspired when they saw me behind the wheel of a car. I think they only thought I knew how to ride a bus and not actually operate a vehicle.) I informed my child that I had done lots of coloring in my life. As my picture progressed, she said with awe, “Auntie, you are good!”

I got so into the coloring that when the host auntie announced it was time for dinner, I didn’t move. Then I remembered that I was the responsible adult here and I really needed to set the good example. After all, when I called my children to come for a meal, I expected them to move immediately. I reluctantly set down my crayons and scooted my girls off to wash hands.

Coloring has great therapeutic benefits. As I sat in the sun yesterday, I could feel a bit of the stress melt away from me. It felt good to carefully choose each color and then watch the picture come to life with each new layer of color added. When Drew saw my finished product, he told me, “You’re good at coloring! I’m not so good. I always get bored.” I dunno. It holds my attention.

I think I’ll be doing this more often.