Broken crayons still colour 

~ Fridgesays


Quote from Trent Shelton, an American Football player and someone I’m a little envious of. Not for his skills on the field, God no; I wouldn’t have a clue what to do with those, it’s this quote.

Every now and then I read a quote and wish I’d thought of it. This is genius in simplicity and has a flawless execution.

In life we all have defining moments, experiences or levels of ability that can have a negative impact on us.

Or we can be a broken crayon; altered by the process but still a crayon of colour and delight. I guess how we handle the events or abilities is our decision and perhaps is more powerful than the event or ability itself.

When our little girl passed away just days after she was born, we became the new parents without the need to push a pram. We became people that had something horrendously negative happen to them that they could never have expected. The days following her death were hard to get through and seven years on I’m still envious of anyone who has a daughter by their side. Anniversaries are always uncomfortable and I’ve learnt that there will always be ‘firsts’ that we will all miss out on experiencing. But I am not the grieving parent you may think, I rarely write about her and am always positive about the experience. As my first born she made me a ‘Mummy’ if only for a short time. She taught me about compassion, the grieving process and what real friendship looked / felt like. The experience took my fuscia pink crayon and with my heart snapped it in two…but I still colour with it and I don’t feel the need to show everyone the contents of my pencil case. I refuse to be defined by one experience or labelled accordingly.

This September I gained a new pupil in school who is by societies need to categorise her ‘Autistic’, when talking to her Mum she spoke of *Daisys needs and *Daisys ways, like they were personality traits of hers rather than of Autism and it was in this moment that her crayon radiated from the box. Autism became irrelevant and just as it should *Daisy shone with her own likes/dislikes just like every other child in my classroom or crayon in the box. Call me sentimental but they just endeared me to her all the more.

The end of a relationship and the inevitable heart break that follows is another time in our lives where in that moment you feel distorted and even question the most basic of tasks. I remember finding it difficult to breath – which is crazy as looking back the best thing that ever happened to me was losing that brown pooh crayon of doom.

I guess we are all crayons, some with our labels peeled and others dented from the impact of life in the pencil case. At times we may get broken but remembering we all have the CHOICE to still colour the most vibrant of pictures is essential to our quality of life.

So to all my stubby ends, peeled peers and lost pooh brown crayons of doom – life beyond the brand new box goes on, make your picture extra radiant and fill the page each and everyday using both your positive and negative experiences for the better.


If you was a crayon what colour would you be? Id be a limited edition glitter pink creation called something wonderful like ‘Flamingo fever’
*Daisys name was altered to protect her identity. 

30 thoughts on “Broken crayons still colour ”

  1. What a fantastic post…we all make a choice every day, no matter what our problems, to make the best of what life throws at us. I’m so glad you still manage to ‘colour’ after what you’ve been through x #EatSleepBlogRT

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  2. Goodness the post had me on a rollercoaster of emotions. I know you didn’t write it for sympathy but I do just want to say I’m so sorry for the loss of your daughter – you are an extraordinary person to be able to write so poignantly about such heartbreak and to not allow yourself to be ‘defined’ and ‘labelled’ because of this experience. Such an inspiring post – love the crayon metaphors (or similies or analogies…. – I get confused, but then you’re the English teacher so will know better than me!). xx #eatsleepblogRT xx

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    1. Thanks Hun, it’s easy because her life and death resonates positively with me, it always has. Perhaps I should of added a seat belt sign at the beginning 🙂 have a blessed week and thanks for commenting

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  5. Wow. What an incredibly well written post. I am so sorry for your loss. You have written an exceptional post here and I’m so pleased I wrote it. This will resonate with many. Sending you love. #dreamteam xx

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  8. What a beautiful post and I’m so sorry to hear about your loss. Having lost a child too u know how it feels to be “that” person. Love the analogy. I’d probably be an Aldi crayon. Not as good or fancy as Crayola but still does the job just a bit cheaper but maybe sometimes doesn’t work quite as well!! #dreamteam

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    1. Thanks,
      Please don’t apologise especially
      If you have walked my shoes. Let’s me grateful that we had loved ones by outside for the darker days. Aldi is posher than morrisons – there’s hope x hehe

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  9. Beautiful. Life goes on, even after the brand new box has been bashed about a bit. I am sorry to hear about your loss but how lovely that you can use those memories of your daughter to colour and brighten the world she left behind #DreamTeam

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  10. Ahh Lucy that is such a wonderful post. You are an inspiration young lady. You have been through so much and you choose to use your experiences to help guide others with beautiful posts like these or you reach out to us on social media with a virtual hug or ‘well done’. The blogging world is a much brighter and colourful place with your little crayon shining out. Much love Tor xxx

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  13. This is such a beautiful post – what an brilliant quote, I am going to remember that one. I am so sorry for your loss lovely, you are such an inspiration to take so much positivity from what you have been through. Thanks for linking up to #dreamteam Hope to see you next time x

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  14. You are an amazing lady. Truly. Grief is heartbreaking but I feel that it also allows you to become wiser, more forgiving, focused and insightful. After Neil (my fiancé) died suddenly, my life was changed forever. Good and bad but it’s given me a better attitude and made me incredibly grateful for what I have. Much love xxx

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