Dreaming in Color

What color are your dreams? Wait, don’t answer yet…

When I was a little girl, I loved receiving new crayons. Each time I opened a box my senses were overwhelmed with the sight of the vivid, pointed sticks covered in whispery paper. The smell of the waxy colors filled my nose. Heck, I even indulged in an unauthorized bite or two of Maize (aka Dandelion) and Salmon. More than just a blitz on my senses or an afternoon snack, though, those crayons provided me with a delicious taste of possibilities that lay ahead. Crayons not only colored my paper, they colored my dreams.

Fast forward almost four decades and that same excitement still fills me as I crack open a box of Crayolas for my children for an afternoon “art-jam.” The intoxicating smell of tinted wax, the sight of 24 brilliant colors, and touch of the familiar instrument in my hand immediately takes me back to the time when my dreams were filled with magical rainbows, ponies and puppy dogs. And, while I no longer have the urge to taste these waxy morsels, I am still reminded that how deliciously indulgent they are when it comes to representing what has been, what is and what can be – especially what can be. Opening that new box still inspires me to color my dreams.

Colors continually boost my ambition with constant reminders of imagination and creativity. For example, carnation pink represented my recent dream of walking in the Avon 2-Day Walk for Breast Cancer – a dream I had held for several years. However, it wasn’t until I colored that dream pink that I created the momentum needed to make that dream a reality. Once I associated my pursuit with a specific hue, I was reminded of my need to move forward each time I saw that color. (And, with two young daughters, I see pink a lot!). However, like most parents, my days are spent with the hustle and bustle of school, playdates, sports, and more. I’ll even admit that there are days when I feel that pursuing my dreams is a luxury I can’t afford. It is those exact moments, though, that I must pull out the “big guns” – the 64, 96 or 120-count box of Crayolas. The charge of these colors – along with the innocent exuberance of my kids – removes any hesitation and provides me with fresh perspective to embrace my chaos and bring these colors to life with action toward my dreams.

So, let’s go back to our original question. What color are your dreams? Are your dreams vivid enough to inspire your imagination? Do they motivate you to act on your wishes? Try this simple exercise to start visualizing your dream in color. Open up a box of crayons – new or old (some of the most beautiful pieces of art can be created from broken crayons). What colors catch your eye? Ask yourself what it is about that color (or maybe several colors) that captures your attention. Maybe you love the color blue because it makes you think of swimming – something you enjoyed as a child but no longer take the time to do. Could it be that one of your dreams is to start swimming again? Okay, okay; this is a very simple exercise but you’ll be surprised at how revealing dreaming in color can really be. Give it a try by yourself or with your children. (Children always love this exercise!). From Spring Green and Brick Red to Cornflower and Atomic Tangerine, Cornflower, associate colors with all your dreams and see where it leads you.

Playwright Marsha Norma once said, “Dreams are illustrations from the book your soul is writing about you.” This is a great summary of dreaming in color. Your soul – your very being – creates images that form your future. When these images or dreams are colored with vibrant hues and visual reminders that spark your creativity, the possibilities are endless for you and your family. So, once again, I ask you: what color are your dreams?