In Search of That Picture

Couple of month’s back I went in search of a picture.

For the journey I carried a dozen colors and two brushes.

Entering the blank canvas was like entering a foreign land.

I didn’t know the people or their language.

A blank stare is what I got when I asked for directions.

Or maybe all that white space made me imagine that I was talking to someone.

Eventually the wait and silence got so unbearable that I threw a blob of blue 

on the first person I thought I saw. And that’s when the fun began!

Suddenly, the blob of blue exploded with such fury that it splattered all over.

Rudely awakening previously invisible characters.

Characters who were visibly upset by the mess and wanted an explanation.

I didn’t have one so I let the colors talk.

Blue tried to speak but then I squeezed out purple and she was livid!

Purple tried to hit blue but missed and slapped pink.

Pink lurched forward and as he tried to steady himself he pulled yellow down 

and they went sliding into orange. It was utter chaos!

A riot of colors, falling, sliding, splattering, screaming, shattering!

Every now and then, I would get out to catch my breath, pour myself some coffee and search for the picture in that wonderful mess.

I grew familiar with the canvas, its surface like the ridges on my fingers getting smoother with each layer of paint. But of the picture, there was still no sign.

Many days passed.

Then suddenly, late one night, I saw something give way.

Just below the surface, there was a movement.

I scrambled back inside with my brush and began sweeping furiously. 

My heart racing, my head reeling, I knew the picture was just few hours away.

But once again I had measured the size of the picture simply by the size of the canvas.

One of the biggest natural wonders was swirling around and partly on fire! 

Earth’s core was in a mystifying upheaval.

The Himalayas were flying into the orbit as stars went shooting down.  

Circles and golden beams and clouds were dancing in slow-mo.

I started to laugh as I held this tiny canvas in my hand!

How was I to title it or explain what it meant when this window wouldn’t cease letting in a million light years of color into my living room?