Yellow – Silence isn't Always Golden

by | Mar 2, 2011 | Colors - 2011 | 0 comments

Day #5 of the Color series. Check out white, green, blue and red in days past. 

The cool thing is to always talk about being silent.  Listen with two ears, talk with one mouth in that ratio. Sayings like that are all around us.  Religion says silence is good.  Meditation is good, it’s silent.


What isn’t good is silence that is rooted in cowardice and fear.  Silence when you see abuse and violence.  Silence when you see corruption and hate.  Silence when you see manipulation and deceit. Then it is good to speak.

But just like anything else, if you aren’t going to speak up in the small things you see, if you aren’t going to practice speaking, then when it comes to something big, something that really matters, you might not be able to speak very well.

Don’t be a coward. Don’t be yellow.  Speak up.
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Drawing and commentary by Marty Coleman of The Napkin Dad Daily

Quote author unknown

Red – Beauty, Comfort and Kick-ass Red Lipstick

by | Mar 2, 2011 | Colors - 2011, Gwyneth Paltrow | 2 comments

Have you noticed yet that I am doing a series and I haven’t even told you?  It’s on color.  So far we have white, green, blue and today, red.
Do you like GREEN eyeshadow? THEN why aren’t you wearing it?
Do you like PURPLE bras? then why aren’t YOU wearing one?
Do you like PINK?  Then why isn’t your ROOM painted it?
Do you like RED lipstick? ThenWHY aren’t you wearing it?

Finally, are you a cyclops?  No, of course you aren’t.  BUT, you are unique somehow.  Why aren’t you admitting, allowing and celebrating that uniqueness?

You aren’t EVER going to be comfortable in someone else’s skin, only, if you are lucky, in your own.  So, why are you living your life to please those who don’t like green eyeshadow, purple bras, pink rooms and RED lipstick?

I mentioned yesterday that my cousin’s son, Gavin Powell, died in a terrible tragedy this week.  Reading about him in his friend’s memorial tributes online you get the picture of a very unique and fun young man. One who wanted to grow a beard at age 16 and did. Who liked Rastafarian style hats and wore them.  He was seen as a bit eccentric.  My response? Three cheers for it!  The world needs more uniqueness, more eccentricity, not less.

My grandfather, who spent many summers in Colorado, got into the habit of collecting and wearing western style bolo ties as he got older.  My father inherited some of those and would wear them as well.  I, in turn, have inherited them, and have some of my own.  I love bolo ties.  Not only do I think they look kick-ass cool, they connect me to my father and grandfather just the same as a ring might for a woman.  In the meanwhile, my wife isn’t so hot on them. But guess what?  I love my wife, and I don’t want to embarrass her (that’s why I shower once in a while) but I am going to wear bolo ties when I want to wear bolo ties.  And I hope she wears what she wants, even if I don’t think it’s the greatest thing.

Being comfortable in your own skin means be who you WANT to be, in style and substance.
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Drawing and commentary/rant by Marty Coleman 

Quote by Gwyneth Paltrow, 1972- not dead yet, American actress

Blue – RIP Gavin Powell

by | Feb 22, 2011 | Anonymous, Colors - 2011, Death - 2001-2011 | 0 comments

My family is blue today.  I have a cousin, Jim Powell.  His only son Gavin died along with his best friend Matt in a rafting accident this week in Walnut Creek, California.  He was 17, Matt was 16.  There had been heavy rains in the area and after Gavin found an old inflatable raft in his garage they made plans to raft down a local creek.  They wore helmets but no life vests and were unable to navigate in the fast rushing waters.  Both of them died during their trip.  Links to the story are below.
 
As any parent knows and will tell you, nothing in the complete realm of human existence can be more completely and utterly destructive to one’s soul than losing a child.  I have not had that happen and I am very grateful. But I know the fear, as do all parents I have ever known.  I may not be as controlling of my kids as my wives have been, I may say ‘you have to let them go do this or that’. I am that father who said that is how it has to be to my wives.  But make no mistake, for every time I have said that, and I bet for every other spouse who played the role of the one saying it’s ok to let them go, we knew we were gambling a bit.  All of life is a bit of a gamble, sometimes greater odds, sometimes lesser.  It’s a sad, sad moment when the odds go bad and something like this happens.  The essay below says it better than I can, I encourage parents to read it.
 
So, why did I illustrate a quote about a dog?  I didn’t draw this to say I hope he has a dog.  I drew it because ‘blue’ can’t always be explained, even when it is so obvious, as in this case.  The pain, the suffering, the what ifs, the if onlys, the guilt, the loss, the anger, the hopelessness, the fear, the emptiness.  They can’t be listed out like that in a broken heart. They can’t be categorized and compartmentalized and logically explained one by one. I can imagine that is what one feels they must do when asked ‘why do you feel blue’.
 
Maybe it’s best to be like a dog, not ask why, even if we know what we think the answer will be, but just comfort and be.
 
You can google Gavin Powell to find more
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Drawing by Marty Coleman of The Napkin Dad Daily


Quote author unknown

The Grass is Greener

by | Feb 21, 2011 | Anonymous, Colors - 2011 | 0 comments

Whose world do you water?  There is nothing wrong with watering someone else’s garden, but there is something wrong with neglecting your own.  Whether it’s a wife, husband, home, children, community, family, friends, profession, team or actual garden, if you only pay attention to other ones AT the expense of your own, you will end up with neither.
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A shout out to the Napkin Kin from these countries in the Middle East; Syria, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Israel, who have been coming to visit the blog over the last month.  Thank you!
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Drawing and commentary by Marty Coleman of The Napkin Dad Daily

Quote author unknown

Green color jealousy  envy desire lust wishes  hopes neglect 2011 grass greener

Whiteness Attracts Blemishes

by | Feb 18, 2011 | Bert Hellinger, Colors - 2011, Winter - 2009, 2011 | 0 comments
In snow and in life, purity is fleeting.  It’s there and it’s good, but it doesn’t last.  Those who try to remain and appear pure to others in all things, in spite of the truth being different, will start to draw attention to their blemishes.

How do you be who you really are, admitting to yourself your impurities, admitting them to others when appropriate, and still work to attain the good in yourself and in others.  Maybe the act of confession is the freeing act that allows you to move towards the good.  What do you think?
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A shout out to the Napkin Kin in the Massachusetts (USA) towns of Chatham, Brewster, Hyannis, Foxboro, Newton and Allton who visited the blog this week.  Thanks for the visit!
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Drawing and commentary by Marty Coleman of The Napkin Dad Daily

Quote by Bert Hellinger, 1925 – not dead yet, German Catholic priest (formerly) and psychotherapist.