This weekend I went to Michaels with my mom to get some supplies for a school project. As we entered the store, there was a rack of sale items, which included a stack of coloring books. Immediately they grabbed my mom’s attention. She wanted to buy them and send them as a surprise to her grandson, who is 2, in Louisiana.

I start to look through the different coloring books and I see Spiderman, Superman and ponies. Then I realize, I want a coloring book. I search through all of the coloring books for the one that interests me the most; after all, who would want to color in a coloring book that is uninteresting to them?

As I am searching through the coloring books, I stumble across one titled “A Smurfy Day!” I automatically pick that one and ask my mom if I can buy it. The excitement I have as I go to the Crayola section to buy a new 24-pack of crayons is unrecognizable and almost unseen in a 17-year-old girl these days, especially over the purchase of a Smurf coloring book.

As we left the store and were headed to our next destination, the only thing I wanted to do was color in my coloring book. I thought to myself – this is silly, why am I so interested in coloring all of a sudden. Then I realized that it’s just the kid inside of me wanting to come out. I mean, I am still young. Why should it be considered strange for a person of my age, or any age, to want to sit down and color in today’s society? I think It is better than going home and sitting on the computer all day; it is relaxing and peaceful.

My day of homework and structure was erased from my mind as I sat near my kitchen counter and began to color the most detailed page in the book. I became so enthusiastic as I opened the newly bought crayons and realized it was my decision. I could color whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted, however I wanted and it would not be criticized or graded, it was just for pure enjoyment. I could color the trees pink and the sky purple if I wanted to.

Part of me, I suppose the older, grown up part of me, wanted to color the tree trunks the perfect shade of brown and the plants the brightest yellow and not have a single color outside of the lines. When I finished coloring my first page, the trees were brown, the grass was green and the sky was blue.

For some reason, I was not satisfied with my coloring. I found another page and began to color again. This time when I finished this page, I felt a sense of joy and accomplishment. The sky was red, the grass was pink and the trees were purple. I had fun coloring this page. It was youthful and free and perfect.

I guess my enjoyment came from not caring about what people will say or how they will react when they see my work of art. I didn’t take myself so seriously for once.

Now, when I look back in my coloring book, I see the two pictures and I know that the first picture is how I am seen in society, and when I am with my peers or in a classroom with my teachers. My second coloring is purely Me. This coloring is the side of me that my close family knows, and the me that is hiding inside, afraid of what people might think of her.

I know that everybody has that coloring page inside of him or her and I recommend letting it out. Put it on paper and share it with friends or family. You only live once so just put yourself out there be the colorful person that you know you are and just live your life. You are always going to have art critics that don’t like the color of your sky, or the shading on your tree; so just move on and leave them behind. Don’t forget, its okay to color outside of the lines!