Suddenly Crayons Found Her

A friend and I have an ongoing conversation about crayons and their powers. We’ve noticed how a mere mention of the waxy “creatures” gets people talking about positive experiences and ideas. On Mondays last year when the sky or events seems gray and without color, our early morning email conversation about crayons would get a little longer.

One night while we were talking, a miscue happened. I’m sure I don’t remember the story as well as I remember the fallout. Messages were sent and received. Feelings were misunderstood and confused. Even after it was sorted, things didn’t feel back to normal.

In a cold, gray next morning, I was still bothered. I went to a convenience store, bought a box of crayons, and walked down the street to a florist. I asked for a small bunch of flowers, and Would they include the crayons in the arrangement?

Okay, so the flower lady looked at me a little funny, but she did what I asked.

I wrote in the card something like, When the gray Chicago sky sucks, color a new one. and signed it with love.

She called laughing saying that was the best idea.

The most amazing thing happened. One a week, near the train station, my friend found a crayon waiting for her — yellow, blue, green, blue again. I think that was the order.

Suddenly crayons found her. Now my friend has a whole collection of crayons.

Amazing things happen when you make the sky a new color.

We can change the world — just like that.
–ME “Liz” Strauss