high on life

While walking down the street today, I realized the sidewalk was covered in red, yellow, and blue chalk scribbles. As soon as I saw three children crouched on their knees scribbling away, I politely stepped into the grass as to not smudge their work (or trample their squealing faces). They were overcome by what they had created, but all I could think of was whether or not they could get high off chalk dust.

As I approached, I noticed one young boy had a squirt bottle in his hand. He began to spray the chalk drawing and the group was enthralled by what resulted: their artwork instantly dissolving away.

"LET'S CLEAN THE SIDEWALK!"
"THE ENTIRE SIDEWALK!"
"LET'S CLEAN ALL THE SIDEWALKS IN THE WORLD!"

I was baffled. Not only were these children so pleased with their arguably-abstract-possibly-expressionist chalk drawings, they were excited to clean the chalk drawings off of all of the sidewalks in the world.

and they set out to do so.

Now I'm not sure their attention deficit minds even made it to the third square of chalk drawings, but what inspired me was their blind faith to set out on an unreachable goal with the excitement of Christmas morning. I thought, "When did I become so jaded and bitter?"

So that's where I am folks. I am heading out with little more than a squirt bottle to clean the sidewalks of the world. I have no other goal but to start the journey. And even if I don't make it to the third square of chalk drawings, I'll know I tried with all the fervor one man could possibly muster.

all because three four-year old children inspired me.

Don't hit your kids,

TJB: Making It