Why we need whimsy
It’s the first weekend that feels nearly fall-like here, in North Carolina, and I have that urge to make lists, clean the closets, and reflect on summer.
As I was combing through some photos from the summer, I thought about whimsy, and how important it is for my creative soul.
Summer started with birds.
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My friend Erin sent me the stencils she’d used in her place in NYC after I oohed over them. My daughter and I painted our mudroom ceiling blue and stenciled our flock onto the walls and ceiling. The gold ones became our mechanical birds.
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Every time I open the door, my heart lifts. My daughter said “Thanks Mom. I don’t think most thirteen-year olds’ parents would let them paint on the ceiling.”
She’s right. Because we’re quick to frown on things that aren’t “normal.”
Why?
I promised myself to choose delight over practical matters like, what if I have to paint over the birds?
Later, I went to New York City.
I could go on and on about that trip.
I returned the stencils and had gobs of fun.
But here’s one of the best things:
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Yup, a rainbow cookie.
I asked the guy behind the counter what flavor that amazing looking thing was?
“Chocolate, I think.”
It was definitely NOT chocolate. The other one was, but the colorful one? It was rainbow flavored.
My friends laughed at me.
“You’ve never had a rainbow cookie? Usually they’re just three colors.”
What does a rainbow taste of? Marzipan. And jelly. And chocolate (he wasn’t entirely wrong!).
It was dee-licious.
A few days later, I saw this notebook in an art supply store.
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Perfect.
The delights are everywhere.
Pratt had this great exhibit, including poems written by kids.
My favorite was the 6-year-old’s description of how a worm walks.
It ended with “His head goes first. I think.”
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I promised myself to retain some of the summer’s fun, whimsy, and delight. And to always wonder which end of the worm might go first, how to eat a rainbow, and to ask “why not?”
Originally published September 18, 2016