Okay...This seems weird, but have you ever looked at the face of a parent when they realize that their child has a permanent marker in their hand?
Sounds silly, but its a look of TOTAL FEAR. What's even more hilarious is if they catch the child with the top off the marker...Its like watching a hostage negotiation...."Timmy....(in a soft voice)....You don't want to do this...It seems fun now....but you LOVE the color on mommy's walls ....remember sweetie?...."
Growing up, I never understood why parents got in such a tizzy over inanimate objects--markers, pens, glue, scissors, etc. Hell, kids don't come out wanting these things--parent's force these items on them and then get upset when they want to use them obsessively.
Well, anyway, I was thinking about this a few moments ago and I've decided that the reason parents get so upset about permanent markers is because as a society we don't like the idea of something being "permanent". The use of a pen, marker, or glue in the wrong place at the wrong time can cause a permanent change that a parent isn't really ready to accept.
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Abstractly speaking of course, Life is a wall. As most people come and go, they leave a word or two for you to remember them by. Of these people, there are only a select few who are bold enough to use permanent markers. These are the people who have found a way to disregard our disapproving looks when we see them running around our lives with the tops off of their markers....
Just as our parents were scared of the changes we would make to their walls, often we're worried about the changes others will make to ours. Some of us use this worry to keep people at a distance--so they can't reach our wall. Some of us hide our true emotions--so they can never find our wall. And others of us are so dizzy from chasing people with markers (trying to make them write something worthwhile) --we leave our walls vulnerable to graffiti.
I think i'm lucky. I have had the pleasure of loving a number of people who transcended the title of family members, significant others, and friends. Instead, they are my "permanent markers". Although I may not always agree with the messages they have left on my wall, I love each of them indefinitely--for having the guts to stand out above the rest--and leaving me with something to always remember them by.
Counselor tip of the day: Please be careful what you "write" on other people's "walls"--the messages you leave may last longer than you think.
3 comments:
Beautiful sentiment "Counselor". I agree with the idea that there are those who leave their permanent "signatures" on our lives, regardless of how long they actually are a part of it.
I think permanent markers can be both good and bad but you will almost always learn something valuable from both.
And it's equally as important to be mindful of the type of "mark" you leave on others' lives.
Forget the markers, why not use BLOOD to make a mark. Apparently there is a killer on the loose that has struck again. Who trained that damn dog anyway?
I linked here from Dragon's comment section.
I love your blog. Your writing is beautiful and thought-provoking. I especially was touched by this post regarding permanent markers. How true with both markers!
I hope you don't mind, but I'm putting you in my favorite links.
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