Crayons in a box

I had some cousins come visit this past weekend and one of them was visiting with her husband and two kids. So naturally I picked up some wrapping paper to cover the coffee table and a brand new box of crayons. It was time to upgrade my daughter’s broken and dwindle stash anyway so we got a big pack of 48 ultra-clean washable crayons.

I also got a set of washable paint sticks which were the actually fan favorites at the little cousin’s crayola party, but I digress, the box of crayons remained for the next day. The snow day where daycare was closed and Papa and baby girl had nothing but unstructured time.

Coffee table still wrapped, she pulled up the box of crayons to “cuh-wer”…(she hits that “wer” hard 🥰), looks at me with her sinister smirk and starts to tip the box of new, fresh, crisp and sharp crayons over.

I say “no no no, sweetheart, you take out one at a time.” In French, or course, as she proceeds with the yellow, orange, blue and her personal favorite “Peeeeenk.”

It’s now nap time and Papa is tidying up for the post-nap shift before getting the second cup of mushroom coffee and finally responding to some emails, and it’s time to “peen-up” the 4 or 5 crayons that were pulled from the box. Can someone tell me why it’s so hard to put single crayons back in full boxes?!?

I can admit to being a bit particular and wanting things to happen a certain way. But all the crayons seemed to be upright, in their perfect little rows. There were clearly spots where each crayon was supposed to go, they should’ve slid to the bottom and fit like a glove.

WRONG!

Its sardine siblings are leaning just slightly enough that the put-back crayon couldn’t make it to the bottom of the box. Standing at attention, above the rest like a blasted palace guard, while it’s neighbor is like that spiteful kid who puts their hand on the floor next to them “holding the spot” for their friend, or a subway man-spreader.

I flashed back to childhood where I remembered shaking the box at an angle to get the boxed crayons in “proper alignment”and was able to slide the used crayons back into their box. But I’ll admit it took way longer than I wanted it to.

Cut to the next day, snow day #2, where Aba had the morning shift. I come down the stairs to find the brand new crayons all over the coffee table and floor, right next to the open, EMPTY box. Like a sick taunting game of 52 Pick-up.

Haha, suckah! You didn’t have the foresight to catch the pre-tilt smirk. I tell my husband all the time “you gotta stay up, cuz it happens quick!”

I observed their sweet morning from afar as it was my turn to get work done when before I knew it, it was nap-time again. I emerged from my hole for a snack, only to find that the crayons had not moved from their strewn positions on the floor and coffee table. I caught myself wishing they’d been cleaned up like I’d done the day prior, but sometimes the breadwinner is on a deadline and had to run to it after not getting any work done between the hours of 7:30am-noon, so grace was given.

With a chuckle, I knelt down, picked up the box and had another flashback from childhood. I leaned the 3-tiered box on its side and started repacking the crayons two by two as if I were stage managing the embarcation of Noah’s Arc. Gravity kept them where I wanted them -with their little crayon feet in line- and I kept stacking.

It was SO gratifying that they all went in so effortlessly. No pushing, no struggle, just easy alignment, sliding into position.

The day prior I didn’t want to have to pick up all 48 crayons and put them back. I thought it would take too long and be annoying. I didn’t want the mess, and didn’t want the inconvenience. And yet, it almost took less time to repack the entire box than it did to shake the box and return the 5 stray crayons to where they belonged. So I ask, where are the places that we’re afraid to dump the crayons out of the box? For fear of what? Inconvenience? Why do we try to tell the future? Assuming “It would be easier if…” Would it be? We sure about that?

Where are we keeping our children from playing and exploring with abandon? Both our real life physical children and/or our inner child? Where are we usurping potential joy and play for fear of inconvenience?

Comment and let’s discuss! 🧡