This post is part of a series on the week of Thanksgiving (in Canada). Our contributors were asked to respond to the question: "What are you thankful for?" Sharon's response was "colour, because it is a vehicle for expression".
Pick up an orange crayon. Feel the paper between your fingers. Smell the wax. Now, put it to paper and start the adventure! What a joy to see the rich colour appear on your white piece of paper.I presume that everybody who attended school in Canada has had this treasured experience.
That is just the point I wish to make - we have 'had' the colourful crayon experience in our childhood. In our society we tend not to pick up a crayon for the heck of it, thinking that it is just child's play. Let me tell you a story.
Once upon a time I volunteered at a lunchtime program called "The Open Door" hosted by St. Michael's Cathedral every Thursday afternoon. People would come after the 12:10 Mass for hot soup and sandwiches.
The hall became quite busy during the bleak, cold winter days. The parish hall is very functional, but like most halls it was in need of colourful decoration. It was not 'our hall', and couldn't paint walls or murals, so we set up a table with some paper and crayons hoping to engage some guests in colourful activity. These simple pieces of coloured wax were like magnets!
One homeless man came in and went straight to the table. He produced the most moving picture of Christ crucified.
Another woman came to the table and drew pictures of fish. Next to each fish she drew a tiny red heart. I noticed that these two artists worked side by side, but in total silence.
When they finished their pictures, they left them behind on the table. I keep these treasures to this day and am grateful to these 'unknown' artists for opening up their hearts in silence.
ACCESS Charity sends these precious wax rolls to poverty stricken countries—imagine the glee among those children when they receive a box of Crayola!
Sharon DiCecco is hosts a radio show called Community in Concert on Radio Maria, which can be heard every Thursday afternoon at 2pm on HMWN.
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