The Colors of Calvin

My world is a woven tapestry of color. It graces my external landscape, my innermost moods, and shines through the personalities of those near and dear in my life. My visual perception of the natural world causes me to pause, and as I neglect the multiplying papers on my desk to gaze out the window this lazy September day, I am mesmerized by the resonant beauty which so fully surrounds me. I can see the first hint of autumn color splashing through the rugged mountain landscape. As my eyes trace the vibrant hues of red, green, and gold in the soft afternoon light, I am awakened to the richness of color in my own world, especially the invigorating yet warming hues of my favorite two-year old. This past weekend as we were visiting with family in Logan, I was introduced to an intrinsically wider spectrum of color; I discovered a complimentary scheme between my little one and a six-year old who I have not been acquainted with for quite some time.





Xavier is much like Calvin in many respects, as he is exploring the engaging world around him. He is curious, eager, and playful, not to mention clever and entertaining. Similarly, I see a spark behind Xavier's ocean swept blues, a spark that leads Calvin down the paths of trouble, a spark that will ultimately ignite defiance in Xavier's world someday. Xavier's antics remind me of the colorful world of my youth, of the importance of play and creativity, and of the undying need to seek humor in my rigid and oftentimes grey existence. As I dug out my tenth anniversary edition of Calvin and Hobbes, I was instantly and completely enraptured by Calvin's honesty, his unfiltered perspective of human circumstance, his gratifying saccharinity for childhood imagination, his charming innocence, and his abounding energy. Calvin reminded me that it is the tiny moments that matter most, and if we blink, we might miss them. I needed that reminder today of the beauty of human nature and what it's like to view the world through the mind of a young person, full of wonder and whit, tangled with the threads of independence and melodramatic expression. Thanks, Calvin. And thanks to my little Xavier, who has introduced me to an evocative ray of colors I have never before seen or experienced with so much clarity. I love you, buddy.