Harold And The Purple Crayon Ollies

Harold and the Purple Crayon: An Ollie Conspiracy?

Let's talk about Harold and the Purple Crayon. Classic, right? Adorable. A kid draws his own world. But, I have a confession: I think Harold's story is secretly about ollies.

Wait, wait, hear me out! I know, it sounds crazy. But stick with me. Think about it: Harold draws his path. He makes his own adventures. He creates momentum out of nothing.

Doesn't that sound a little like trying to pop an ollie? You're standing still. You bend down. You explode upwards. Suddenly, you're...somewhere else. Maybe only a few inches higher, but still. Somewhere new.

And Harold? He's constantly overcoming obstacles. Mountains? Drawn. Seas? Drawn. Dragons? Definitely drawn. Each challenge is like a new trick to learn. Each obstacle, a mental block to overcome. He just draws his way through it all.

Now, I know what you're thinking. "That's a stretch!" And maybe it is. But consider the similarities. The purple crayon is Harold's board. His imagination is his skill. The blank page is... well, it's the world, ripe for skating (or drawing) on!

Think about the frustration Harold must feel when his lines go awry! We've all been there. Trying to draw (or land) that perfect line. Only to end up with a scribbled mess. The internal scream is palpable.

And the joy! The pure, unadulterated joy of creating something. Harold draws a pie! He draws a cop! He draws a whole darn city! It's the same feeling as finally nailing that trick you've been working on for weeks. That feeling of "I DID IT!"

Okay, I'll admit, maybe I'm projecting. Maybe I'm just seeing what I want to see. But I think there's something deeper going on here. Something about the power of imagination, the thrill of overcoming challenges, and the sheer joy of creation.

Plus, consider the color. Purple. A rebellious color. A color of magic and mystery. It's not a coincidence that Harold's crayon is purple. Purple is the color of potential. The color of, dare I say, ollie-potential!

Maybe Crockett Johnson, the author, was a secret skater. Maybe he saw the parallels between drawing and skating. Maybe he just wanted to write a fun story about a kid with a crayon. We may never know.

But here's my (possibly) unpopular opinion: Every time Harold draws a line, he's attempting an ollie. He's pushing the boundaries of his world. He's defying gravity (in a metaphorical, drawn-on sort of way).

And let's be real, we've all been there. Stuck inside, dreaming of skating. Wishing we could just grab a crayon and draw our way out of boredom. Harold gets it. He understands.

So next time you read Harold and the Purple Crayon, try looking at it from a skater's perspective. See if you don't see the ollies. See if you don't feel the same sense of freedom and possibility.

I bet you will. And if not, well, at least you'll have a fun new way to look at a classic children's book.

And who knows? Maybe you'll even be inspired to pick up a crayon (or a skateboard) and draw your own adventures. After all, the world is your blank page. Go out there and ollie all over it!

Okay, maybe not literally ollie all over the world. But you get the idea. Use your imagination. Create something. Find your purple crayon.

And remember, even if you fall, you can always just draw a new starting point.