We Could All Use A Little Bob Ross
Cincinnati, OH | Posted: 07/16/2018 | Author: April Koenig for Creatives On Call
Just last week (July 4th), I was enjoying a refreshing cold adult beverage on my back patio. My neighbor, Chase, a junior at the University of Alabama (Roll Tide!) came over for a visit. I always enjoy hearing what he’s up to and seeing how quickly life is moving for him year after year. Chase & I engaged in back & forth banter about what he’s been up to. He said he was really putting personal time into figuring out how to decompress and take a breather from his studies, internship and summer job. I asked him how was that going? He chuckled and quickly said his best medicine to date was watching Bob Ross on YouTube. “Bob Ross!” I said, “The dude that taught us how to paint little birds in the sky with the flick of a wrist?”
Yup, he confirmed THE very one. I thought how awesome for him that he had found the calming retreat of Bob’s voice in today’s over stimulated world.
Later that evening I pulled up YouTube on my iPad to find Bob Ross. And for the next 2 hours, instead of fighting the festivities of sticky humans and loud fireworks, I was lulled into a state of pure relaxation (very much needed, I might add) by the comforting voice of an old friend.
On July 4th, 1995 Bob Ross passed away – I had to wonder… was it just a coincidence that 23 years to the date of his passing I was reintroduced to the “The Joy of Painting”. I’d like to think that for this Independence Day someone above was telling me it’s time to paint happy little trees again.