- It would be fun.
- It will look nice.
- I want to.
Now 27 years later, I am painting another wall in my garage. Why? The exact same reasons I wanted to many years ago!
So…I went to Home Depot and picked up a gallon of ‘oops’ paint in Robin Egg Blue.
My intention for this wall evolved as I began and I listened to the soundtrack from The Greatest Showman while I painted. Lyrics like: “[Where the] impossible comes true. It’s takin’ over you.” and “The brightest colors fill my head, a million dreams are keeping me awake, I think of what the world could be, a vision of the one I see.” inspired me to make this wall a place of personal inspiration. It is what I see as I pull my car out each morning and what I see at the end of each day when I return home.
- Grounding myself in my family I see the tandem bike that I rode with my Grandfather. I was in back with my feet up until he asked, “Pam, are you pedaling?” My mom’s sled from when she was a girl. My grandpa’s license plate from the year I was born.
- The election signs of people I admire and who did not let cultural and racial barriers stop their desire to serve in an elected office. (Remember the name Hadiya Afzal!)
- And the poster of Muhammad Ali. This hung in my first office 20 years ago when my church was starting an afterschool program for area kids. This poster reminds me to trust my own instincts. At the time I knew nothing of white privilege and had no anti-racism training. I did know that heroes do not all look alike and that we need to make visible the heroes of all people, especially for our children.
And…..Ali is inspiring all on his own!
These days it sometimes seems joy is hard to find. It is not. According to Glinda, it is as close as your own backyard. Enjoy your play!
~ Pam