Black, White, Green, Red, Harry Chapin, and Life!

Sir Dayvd's post the other day on black, white, and gray areas got me thinking about Randy Pausch. Though we never met in person, Mr. Pausch is one of my heroes.

Diagnosed with terminal cancer, he went on to present a lecture that literally took the world by storm, titled "Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams.” It's now more commonly and simply called "The Last Lecture" (if you haven't seen his lecture, you can check it out on You Tube; the book version is a national bestseller).

Because Pausch was a computer scientist, he was used to seeing the world in black and white, on and off, true or false. There was very little gray areas for him. In fact, he used to joke about his crayon box having only two colors: black and white.

But, at his last lecture, he brought along several hundred crayons of all colors (in the confusion of what was going on, they did not get passed out, but here is his intent):

“My plan was this: As I spoke about childhood dreams, I'd ask everyone to close their eyes and rub their crayons in their fingers – to feel the texture, the paper, the wax. They I'd have them bring their crayons up to their noses and take a good, long whiff. Smelling a crayon takes you right back to your childhood, doesn't it?”

Grown men and women with crayons? Why not! It's so true about the potency of a crayon and the ability of just one whiff to take us back to a time when teachers encouraged us to use every color and parents hung our masterpieces on the refrigerator.

This is where Harry Chapin comes in. Harry was an awesome artist, poet, songwriter, performer and humanitarian (yes, with flaws). He wrote a song that happened to be on a CD I was listening to right after I read Sir Dayvd's black and white post. This song has to do with art, kids, and seeing things the way they “should” be seen:

Flowers are Red
by Harry Chapin

The little boy went first day of school
He got some crayons and started to draw
He put colors all over the paper
For colors was what he saw
And the teacher said.. What you doin' young man
I'm paintin' flowers he said
She said... It's not the time for art young man
And anyway flowers are green and red
There's a time for everything young man
And a way it should be done
You've got to show concern for everyone else
For you're not the only one

And she said...
Flowers are red young man
Green leaves are green
There's no need to see flowers any other way
Than they way they always have been seen

But the little boy said...
There are so many colors in the rainbow
So many colors in the morning sun
So many colors in the flower and I see every one

Well the teacher said.. You're sassy
There's ways that things should be
And you'll paint flowers the way they are
So repeat after me.....

And she said...
Flowers are red young man
Green leaves are green
There's no need to see flowers any other way
Than they way they always have been seen

But the little boy said...
There are so many colors in the rainbow
So many colors in the morning sun
So many colors in the flower and I see every one

The teacher put him in a corner
She said.. It's for your own good..
And you won't come out 'til you get it right
And are responding like you should
Well finally he got lonely
Frightened thoughts filled his head
And he went up to the teacher
And this is what he said.. and he said

Flowers are red, green leaves are green
There's no need to see flowers any other way
Than the way they always have been seen

Time went by like it always does
And they moved to another town
And the little boy went to another school
And this is what he found
The teacher there was smilin'
She said...Painting should be fun
And there are so many colors in a flower
So let's use every one

But that little boy painted flowers
In neat rows of green and red
And when the teacher asked him why
This is what he said.. and he said...

* * *

Well, unfortunately, we know what he said -- what too many of us and our children have been trained to say.

But, there still must be a way to teach our children – and adults – that life should be fun; that there are so many colors in a flower -- So let's use every one!

So, yesterday I purchased a box of 120 crayons and Monday you'll find them on my desk. Why? That way, when things start getting too black and white or too serious, I'll take Randy Pausch's advice and feel one, sniff one, breathe it in, color with them, and dream!

Sir Bowie of Greenbriar