Getting the Color Back Into Life

Probably fifteen years ago, I was at a little women's "crafty" event at my church on a Saturday morning.  It was organized so that we could go from room to room for various sessions on things like Painting on Glass, Making Christmas Ornaments - things like that.  There was one session entitled "I'm not Martha Stewart". Of course, that one intrigued me the most, so I headed for the room.  A woman named Julie Sparkman was teaching the class.  I had never met her before, but I loved her self-deprecating humor, her honesty, and her style. (One of her "decorating tips" was to put on a latex glove, spray it with gold paint and then "create a marbled effect" on a candle by grabbing on to it a couple of times with the paint covered glove. She really wasn't Martha Stewart. She was more like Julia Child with a glue gun. I loved her immediately!)
Julie had a few words of wisdom to share with us, too, about the importance of having beauty in our lives.  At that particular time, I had five small children, and everything in my house was beige with black and white checked pillows because it was easy and everything matched. At one point, Julie said "Have you let the color go out of your life?  Why have you allowed that to happen?"  I about fell out of the chair!  She had nailed me!  I am a person who loves color, but I was living beige because there were no risks, it was easy and I was lazy.  It hit home like I was breaking one of the Big 10.  What I was doing wasn't just lazy, it was wrong.  
That day, I left with two things - a new friend and a new awareness that color mattered.   
I haven't been the same since I was convicted of the sin of "beige".  Now, my house has lots of color. I have learned that living without color is to be half-dead - at least to my way of thinking.

LIVING COLOR AND BEAUTY
For me, it isn't only color, it is beauty.  And one of my favorite combinations of beauty and color is FLOWERS!  
Last week, I went to Collier's Nursery to buy some spring flowers.  Five years ago, I had actually worked at Collier's Nursery for about four months.  I took the job to heal from a very painful loss, and it was one of the best things I could have done to regain joy in my life.  I was surrounded by beautiful flowers, learned a ton about gardening, got lots of sunshine and exercise and had a marvelous time being there.  When I went in the other day, I was sad to leave.  So, I called Jimmy Collier, the owner, and asked him if I could work through the busy season this Spring.  He said "YES!" He was excited to have me back, so I had my first day at Colliers today!  It was wonderful!  I was there from 10 to 5:30 with a 10 minute break for lunch.  We were slammed with customers, but all my flower knowledge came back quickly.  I loved it!

However, when I got home a little while ago, I could tell it had been a long time since I had walked for 7-1/2 hours straight.  I have been limping around here and groaning like crazy.  My legs are killing me, but I am sure they will be better by Monday when I go back.  I will be up at Collier's on Mondays, Tuesdays and Saturdays for the next four weeks.  (If you live in Birmingham, come see me!)
CHOOSING HOW TO LIVE OUT YOUR DAYS
Despite the fact that I can hardly walk right now, I would rather have spent the day looking at beauty, helping people choose the flowers that gave them joy, and getting filthy in the process, than just about anything.  This is only a four week stint, but it is such a joyful little diversion in my general life direction.  Sometimes, it is good to pursue that crazy little passion, even if it is only for a brief time.  I don't need to make a career of Collier's (I don't think my legs could handle it) but it is worth it to be there for just a few weeks.  

As I enter the next part of my journey, I want to remember to pursue the experiences that bring color and beauty to my life, even if they are just for a few minutes, hours or days.  It makes me alive to be in places like that.