The Big Orange Splot

I was inspired this morning while chatting with one of my work colleagues. She had a children's book with called "The Big Orange Splot" by Daniel Monus Pinkwater.

I looked through the book quickly as she described the book to me and I told her I wanted to write a blog spot about it as it was very true for each of us to remember.

So, the story line.

This guy lives in a neighborhood where all the houses look exactly the same. Same grass, same color, same layout, same shingles, same everything. People would come and go from their homes - in and out - every day. Nothing changed.

One day a bird was flying over with a bucket of paint (remember this was a children's book so birds flying with a bucket of paint COULD happen) and the bucket dropped from the bird and landed write on the roof of one of these houses! It was a big orange splot!

Well, once the owner say this splot he decided that maybe he would paint the rest of the house, and maybe he would wear clothes there were colorful, and maybe he would put a hammock in the backyard...on and on until finally his home became uniquely him!

Soon others in the neighborhood started doing the same. Same painted, some built on castle shapes and some boats...everyone brought their unique wants, desires, and dreams into their area.

The book ends with pictures of the wild homes that became from adding a personal touch. By daring to be different and stepping out into change. The neighborhood became a fun and wonderful place to live.

Now I know I have completely simplified the book as I really had about 2 minutes to look through it, but I loved the story plot of stepping outside of the comfortable norm and becoming who you really are. There are to many times we say nothing or do nothing because we don't want to mess up the world around us when in fact the rest of the world is just waiting for us to change!

Great lesson on a Friday. Be yourself. Be brave. Be different. Be about the change you want to see! Be the Big Orange Splot!

Enjoy your weekend!