Why is it so many American cities are trying to drive color and anything out of the ordinary, right out of town?  It’s as though we’re all being bleached to basic beige and the home owner’s association approved shade of tan.

We go on vacations and fondly remember the food, views, colors, local clothing, architecture and culture.  If you’re like me, you love seeing the uniqueness of the location you’re visiting. We take pictures, jot notes in our journals, make sketches and buy items to remind us of our time away.  We relish in all 6 of our senses while we’re on vacation; but what happens to these pleasures when we return back home?

Sadly,  in the states we’re slowly and painfully having our uniqueness sterilized day by day, and without anesthesia to cut the pain.

If you go to California, it’s not going to be the 100’s of standard pink stucco neighborhoods that catch your eye, it’s going to be the cute beach town cottages and the northern California uniqueness that you’ll remember.
Sante fe?  Chances are you will remember that bright blue door or red window frame.  Down south?  I’m betting it would be the bright green wicker rocker with the purple cushion on a lazy front porch, not the manicured lawns.

In my case, my home owners association seems to know my address by heart.
A few years ago I got a letter letting me know that my 5 foot tall giant sunflowers were a threat to the safety of our home values.  These gorgeous yellow sunflowers were the size of large dinner plates and were attracting young neighbor girls to sit and discuss the possibility of fairies.  Seems they had to go and had to go immediately.  The letter stated that if I did not display a more traditional front yard, those bright yellow beauties would be cut down “for” me.

Last year I was notified that the lovely shade of green my home was being painted did not blend in well with the other houses on my block.  Seems their idea of variety was the 2% of distinction between those other earth tone choices.

What’s my point?  I wish for us all to consider how we slowly mute ourselves every  day.  Every precious day that we conform, blanch our personalities and lower the volume of our own drums; we start to fade from bright to beige.
Isn’t it time we stop?

Maybe it’s more subtle.  You’ve stopped playing the music you like because you’re not sure your date or friends would like it.  You stifle your personality to fit in.   You take off that tie or those earrings you love because you may seem “too much” in your office.

I think it’s time we all shine out loud again.  If you offend someone, you apologize.  Chances are you may inspire someone else to beat their own drum loudly.

As for me and my house? You’ll recognize my homeowner’s association earth tone abode apart from the others by the bright shiny red bench on my porch filled with multicolored flower pots.  If you stop by, we can spray paint a wicker chair bright purple out back.
🙂
xo

Image courtesy of  Suat Eman from freedigitalphotos.net