This past weekend at the Mill, I had a coloring "contest" for kids to benefit the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. Only eight children participated, so I decided they were all winners, and made them all magnets from their colored fish. I only received three dollars in donations for the Bay, but the day was a success. Just watching the kids sucking on candy canes, and intently coloring was such a relief from the automated, technological nightmare we call modern life.
Every child took the task quite seriously. Colors were carefully chosen, and no one went out of the lines. One little girl even added cute squiggles and designs on her fish. One little girl wanted to color two different fish. A two year old carefully put the crayons away after she "finished". Such good manners!
And all of the parents patiently waited for their children to finish. Despite bad backs, schedules, and hunger, none of the children were rushed.
I hung all of their creations outside my studio. The ear-to-ear grins were priceless. As I made the magnets today, I wished I could see the look on their faces when each child received the package mailed to them. No propaganda (except a phone number), no sales pitch - just their artwork.
Children give me the feeling that the world is worth protecting, and life is worth living. Even on my darkest days, a child's smile, or chocolate smeared face cheers me up more than anything.
Cheers to kids,
Cathy
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