We’ve lived in this house for eight years.
We’ve watched its carpets collect happy dirt.
We’ve watched its windows slowly adapt to each passing season.
We’ve remodeled; hosted parties; built a container garden on the deck.
We’ve relocated litter boxes; hung up photos of our families and bizarre expressionist paintings; we’ve scattered scented candles.
We’ve repurposed a guest room to a nursery, delightfully filling every nook and cranny with overpriced plastic.
We’ve made it our home, Dear Reader.
And yet, after all this time, there remains the unpainted wall.
Well, multiple walls, really.
Our bedroom is a shameful shade of green. Gun to the head, I’d call it Mellow-Yellow. It’s reminiscent of a baby celery leaf.
And it’s gross.
It was there when we moved in, and after all these years, we’ve never changed it.
Even though it’s ugly.
Even though it’s a color I would never pick for anything, not even underwear.
And maybe I’m telling you this because I’m reminded that nothing is ever really over.
Nothing is ever really complete.
We learn and we talk and we grow and we change.
We regret, we resist and we recover.
We open our eyes each day to another set of possibilities.
And as I retire to this room each night, my Mother-bones aching with joy, I smile at the unpainted wall.
. . .
SnapDragon is a writer, artist, and happy weirdo.
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LOVE this!!!
Thanks so much!
Great job writing! Some feedback: maybe next time don’t go straight into the deep meaning… try and lead up to it! I hope this helps!
This post was written in that very bedroom, in a very small bit of time I had to myself. It certainly could be longer! Thanks, friend.
Our entire house was that color when I moved in. Inside and out. There must have been an ugly color paint sale on when it was done. 😫
Haha. Too funny! It’s definitely an odd choice, especially for a bedroom!
Nice thoughts that reminds me of the reality of life. It ain’t done till you are done in this world.
Well said! Every day is something new. 🙂
That is the first time I have ever heard about happy dirt
Haha. It’s my optimistic spin! 🙂
Nice imagery, Snapetta! The sick green wall seems to give you some of a grounding. Sounds like a great project though, if you ever want to change it up? Keep that green as a base for a sunny spring forest? Your kids could help, but I warn you, you’d never be able to paint over it, because: kids. Yeah. Still…how are these walls when you have a hangover? That might be a kicker, right there. 😀 I like the way you think.
Ha! I love all of this. And you’re right: there IS a sort of comfort in those pale green walls. 🙂
Ah the unpainted walls are now just rustic and now acceptable and that’s all!
Haha. Sometimes the unhip may be the coolest of all. . . ?
Possibilities are what keep us going, the world turning on its tilted axis. Because without it, there is only fixed thinking and actions that lose their meaning and charm in pointless repetition. And some things are never really over, their very existence or display a reminder that ‘the new’ is only valued through the residue of the old. Love the way you’ve expressed a simple yet complex feeling. And your wit shines through it all. Thanks for sharing this! 🙂
Thank you for your kind words, my friend! And thank you for sharing your thoughts. Well said!
We’ve watched it
I think we all have an unpainted wall of some kind in our lives, something we would love to change but somehow never got around to.
Absolutely, friend. May we all acknowledge what we truly want to change, and make it happen!
If it’s at all possible. Unfortunately, some walls will stay unpainted…
You need a bit of ugly to understand what’s beautiful!
So true! Thank you for this, friend.
I love this Snap! When we moved into our apartment 3 years ago we had a large wall in our living without a picture on it. I meant to buy something to put there but 3 years later I still haven’t gotten round to it. Its the sort of thing I would have sorted straight away before kids but now that I have them… 😂
Haha. I hear ya! Maybe one day you will find the perfect piece. Or, the empty space may end up serving a purpose all its own!
Samesies! We haven’t repainted in our bedroom or master bathroom. Our bedroom is three walls avocado one wall light gray and our bathroom is two walls avocado and two walls beige (leftover paint from the living room I’m guessing) but we just can’t seem to be bothered to paint them. When we moved in our painting efforts went towards our contractor white rooms and closets and bubblegum pink guestroom. We’ve since repainted the kitchen as well but the bedroom and master bath still haunt us.
Haha. Glad to know I’m not alone! I wonder if maybe it’s the idea of, “We’re the only people who are going to see this,” so it gets pushed to the back burner? As an artist especially, I’m itching to give all of the walls in our house some flare. Your bubblegum pink guest room sounds so fun!
Yup that’s definitely part of it. The other part is that our bedroom has a vaulted ceiling and we can’t be bothered to put up scaffolding just to stave off guacamole cravings.
Great Post
Thanks so much!
Wow, a very thought provoking post here Snapdragon!
My comment comes from a different angle, due to my ongoing battle with my mental health, I’m currently really struggling to see the positives in things… the unpainted wall idea included! To me, the idea that there’s always more to do and that nothings ever finished just fills me with misery and feelings of exhaustion… every day looking at things to be done at home, at work, remembering things in the middle of the night, it terrifies me that I will never be happy as there will always be stuff to do… and never any time to pursue what makes us feel joyful or at peace…
My bathroom is currently undergoing some work and that is getting me down almost as much as the news that two of my colleagues have contracted COVID-19 this week (during the busiest month of the year)…
I really hope one day to see the positivity in this post and feel excited by the idea of what comes next… today is not that day.
Ugh. I hear you, friend. All too often I have those very same thoughts! Things can feel so overwhelming sometimes. Sending positive vibes your way!
Too good
Thank you, friend! 🕊
I love it❤️
Thanks, friend! 🦋
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Green is not shameful, it represents correctness and very true things. Everything in this world is changeable. Otherwise good work.
How true! Ever since I wrote this piece, I keep trying to see the hue in a new light. 🕊
Nice
Great sharing
Thanks so much! 🦋