Out of the Box...

COLORING OUTSIDE OF THE LINES
Coloring outside the lines is scary business.
Sometimes I don't have the courage for it all.
On my big, bold days, though, I let my red crayon just streak across a line.
I swirl my purple and my orange out there with it in perfect freedom; no lines.
Coloring outside the lines is lonely, too.
I'm the only one who doesn't get a gold star on my paper.
The teacher frowns; the kids call me weird, dumb.
Why won't they see that I'm not behind them?
I'm out in front, running free--outside the lines.
It would be nice to have a friend who colors outside the lines, too.
Would you?
(Anonymous)



I have a couple of thoughts with this poem...

First ~ as a homeschooling mother, I am constantly out of the box, doin' things my own way, streaking those crayons right across the lines, swirling my colors together to create something wonderful and new, I am often right out in the front, running free, exploring great new ideas and not settling for what everyone else might deem the perfect way of educating my kiddos! Along with this, we come across those who have their own perceptions of what home schooling is or is not and they certainly would not be awarding a gold star for our work, they may think we are a little weird, at times, even dumb, their frowns and disapproval wear heavy on our hearts, and we can at times feel lonely in this battle of educating our way, instead of what everyone else does. But that is okay ~ because in this world of sitting outside the box, swirling our colors, crossing over the lines, running free ~ we are not alone, we have friends out there who are also coloring outside the lines and lovin' every minute of it!!! I love that I have the courage to color outside the lines, doing my own thing and knowing that it will make my kids stronger, more confident and closer to the spirit as they become who they are meant to be...and this can only be found by having the freedom to see how those colors mix, how they can make a picture their way instead of being "oh, so careful" to fit right inside the lines (or the box).



My second thought on this lovely little poem is all about my kids...

I love to see how they create ~ how they show just who they are through the things they do and say ~ that they are learning that there is not always just one right answer, that they have the ability to think and have their own thoughts on things and not just regurgitate what another has told them and believe that to be the final word. They are absolutely not afraid to challenge an idea, to ask questions, to truly know things for themselves. And I attribute so much of this gift growing inside of them to their having their freedom to color outside the lines and earn a big whopping Gold Star for their hard work each and every time, without a frown, and without feeling like coloring outside the lines has to be scary business!



Go ahead...Go grab yourself a Bright Yellow, a Sensational Red, maybe a Royal Purple, or a Soft Pink, a Dazzling Blue or a Beautiful Emerald Green and go to town...let yourself go, believe in you and your ideas, mix them, streak those colors across the page...create who you are, then stand back and admire your beautiful work!!!