Confessions of a Human Coloring Book

My older sister is a creative force. She is artistically gifted, but when she has a vision, you need to stay out of the way. When we were kids, she demanded her own coloring books because if we didn’t “color right,” the whole book was a total loss. It used to annoy the piss out of me. So, I would sneak a book and intentionally wander outside the lines or use the wrong shade of green. Just a little chaotic sabotage to keep her humble.

Those same quirks still exist. She is still the visionary who demands to handle it all, but my role has shifted. I’ve traded the rabble-rouser badge for the quiet assistant’s clipboard. This surrender isn't due to the sibling pummelings (mostly); it comes from a new appreciation for the overbearing artist.

That title might make you clutch your pearls, but it comes with respect. The overbearing artist isn't aiming their frustration at you; they just can't yell at the art. Her disdain for my “artistic meanderings” wasn't personal anger. It was the frustration of someone who could already see the final masterpiece, a level of foresight the rest of us lack while we are stuck in the process.

While I may not be hanging any gallery art soon, I, too, am an overbearing artist. The canvas? Me. I can see the final product—a version of myself I can be proud of. Unfortunately, I am a coloring book living among shaky hands holding crayons. I get rigid at times, not out of malice, but because I am desperate to protect the design.

So, what is the solution? I can’t just take my book and storm off anymore, and truthfully, I want to be open to other designs. But how does the overbearing artist cope when the crayon isn't in their hand?

My solution? Invite only certain people to color your pages. Find the ones who understand the rough design but can't quite stay inside the lines like you can. If someone throws a shade of pink where you intended purple, consider the pink. Besides, there's always another page.

Word Count: ~325 words

Approximate Read Time: 1 minute, 30 seconds