The Magic of the Purple Crayon

I may have forgotten to mention something: our Impossible Journey begins with a crayon. That’s right, a crayon. But not just any crayon, this extraordinary symbol of creation is PURPLE!

Are you familiar with the story of “Harold and the Purple Crayon” by Crockett Johnson? This classic children’s book illustrates a young boy’s imaginative adventure fashioned with a purple crayon. If Harold wants to hike through the woods, he draws a tree; if he gets hungry, he draws a picnic.

Harold’s adventure personifies our fabulous Journeys through a world of impossibilities. The Purple Crayon symbolizes boundless opportunity and reminds us that we truly can create what we desire in our lives.

Conscious of it or not, we’re constantly creating the world around us – for better or worse. We create through our everyday thought process, our continual line of questions, and our habitual and spontaneous actions. We all have a Purple Crayon, but only a select few choose what to draw. Most of us neglect our innate ability to create, build, and transform our world.

How do you tap into the power of your Purple Crayon? You start by reconnecting with the Crayon within you. Then ... begin to draw like a kid. A kid doesn’t walk around with preconceived notions about how things are. A kid explores, stays curious, tries new things, and embraces each moment with joy, excitement, and wonder. A kid doesn’t worry about how the drawing will look when he’s finished. A kid can take his Crayon in hand and draw whatever his heart desires.

Unfortunately, this is usually not true for adults. An adult usually hasn’t picked up his Crayon in years, often decades. He has forgotten that his Crayon is the gateway to manifesting his dreams. He no longer spends much time thinking about what to draw and consequently, he rarely attempts to design anything spectacular anymore. As a result, the world suffers. Pablo Picasso said, “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist after growing up.”

But here’s wonderful news: your Purple Crayon is still there. Dormant for a while perhaps, your infinitely creative faculties are waiting patiently to come out and playfully craft once again. Sometimes you need only acknowledge its presence to open your artistic floodgates. Your Crayon’s power increases with use -- the more you draw, the greater your influence for designing the extraordinary. Clarify what you want, pick up your Purple Crayon and draw the unthinkable.

And please remember, this is YOUR LIFE we’re talking about. Draw outside the lines!

Happy Journeys!
Scott Jeffrey