If you've been following along on this blog, you'll notice that a lot of the entries deal with chakras and colors. You'll also see a fair number of entries that talk about the moon. All these subjects are linked together in my children's picture book, "Melvin's Balloons".
When my daughter was about three years old she had a very special helium balloon. She was hanging on pretty tight but somehow (to this day we blame slippery mittens), it got loose and floated up to the sky. She was trying to be brave, but her lip was starting to tremble and the tears were pretty close. In a flash of insight, we sat down on a bench and made up a story. The balloon was going on a grand adventure up to the moon, who we for some reason, affectionately called "Melvin". We both got so caught up in creating the story that we no longer were upset over the loss. In fact it was a gain. We had gained a very special moment together and we had a story that became a part of our family. For years, my daughter retold that story to her friends. She has never been upset over a lost balloon again and we have never looked at Melvin in the same way.
Often it seems to me that the most tragic, difficult, uncomfortable parts of our lives, later make the best stories. They become a big part of us, something we carry with us as a badge of honor. They represent our growth.
Melvin's story grew over the years. In another flash of insight, I realized I could link the story of loss with the colors of the chakras and provide some explanation as to why certain colors are linked to emotions through the chakra system. This second part of the story came to me when I was waiting for, and worried about, another family member. I was feeling very uncomfortable to be in the hospital environment and was experiencing a separation from my previous profession and where I wanted to be on my own journey. In that hospital waiting room, on a piece of napkin, the rest of Melvin was born. I can't explain it other than to say it just "came to me when I wasn't looking".
I believe children have a lot more "knowing" than most adults give them credit for. They know why they are drawn to certain colors. They understand why they want that green blanket with them all the time. They know why that big, red ,stuffed dog is not just Clifford, but something that makes them feel safe when the world around them doesn't provide that security. To them, this book is just fun. It helps them feel good about helium balloons and reconnected to the moon. I go into the schools every chance I get and read Melvin's Balloons. We talk about colors, emotions and the moon. Sometimes we get into the chakra chart in the back of the book and talk about the chakra centers. Sometimes we just talk about all kinds of crazy things! Every once in awhile, some child will come up to me, give me a very special hug and say "thanks for writing this". It's a powerful connection. I believe they completely "get" the link between colors and their emotions. I think that is something adults may have lost or forgotten. So maybe this book is as much for adults as it is for children. Maybe it will help adults realize what children intuitively know. Maybe it will help them reconnect with childhood emotions or their own child's emotions.
Check "Melvin's Balloons" out for yourself. It's available in Chapters stores and on-line. You can also order it directly from the publisher at http://www.brylerpublications.com/books.php
Let me know what you think. And next time your present moment seems to be playing out a tough lesson, consider it may become one of your most treasured stories.
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