Did You Know?

Today my intention was to repost a poem I wrote in 2012, a day after the Sandy Hook Shootings. On Dec 15th, 2012 I was just cleaning around the house. As I vacuumed and scrubbed, I kept hearing little phrases in my head. Not the kind where I need a doctor, but the kind that made me stop mid-cleaning and just write. My poem Did You Know was written in the view of a child in Heaven. She was telling her parents that she'd was in good hands with angels surrounding her and in God's comfort.
That Monday, my local radio station, CBS Radio's Wild 94.1, allowed listeners to call in and express their grief. This is something I'm always so encouraged by. Wild has always allowed listeners to spend hours calling in after serious events have occurred in our nation. I had the poem with me on the seat of my car and decided during my drive to work to call in so I could share it. I felt the words weren't my own and that they were written with God's grace. They were meant to be shared.
After about 20 minutes on hold, I got through. I was in traffic and felt I needed to pull over for safety. I was on the phone with 2 of the station DJ's. I was very nervous, but more so, emotional. I read my simple poem and they were stunned. They said that people were immediately texting in and even grown men text in to say they were crying in their cars. They asked me again to clarify when I wrote this and I explained my house cleaning inspiration.
I soon got a call from the station asking if I could email them the poem to share on their website. Of course! They posted the poem on wild941.com and it exploded. They called and told me within a few days it was the most hits and shares they had had on their site in years! Over 6000 likes and hundreds of shares and comments. I was humbled.
They mentioned to me that Mike Posner, Hip Hop artist, had just written a song called "Heaven" based around his emotions for the Sandy Hook tragedy. They asked if I would come to the station and do a read so that they could blend "Heaven" with "Did You Know". I was excited but also overwhelmed by the response.
By Tuesday night, I was at the station reading through Did You Know. It only took me a couple of times and we were done. The programmer blended the songs beautifully. The intent was to play the song after a 26 bell toll honoring those that died on the Friday, a week after they lost their lives. It was a somber time. The song played on Friday and my boss and I were at work listening to the station. Tears poured down my cheeks.
The song Heaven by Mike Posner featuring Did You Know by Christine Kimball was shared all over the country by CBS radio. It played all through the weekend. Again, I was thrilled and moved by the response.
Today, I wanted to attach links in this blog to those posts. But I can't find them. I know that the Newtown, Ct. shootings were very controversial, debated and possibly a conspiracy. It seems many of it's traces have been erased online. I don't know the truth. I would hope that if they really happened, that people would honor them as such and remember the families who lost their baby. If they were a big government hoax, then I hope that the song Heaven and my poem still stand on their own as a way for anyone who has lost their child to find a bit of comfort. But I'm afraid it will not reach as far as it did with the connection of Newtown events.
I'm going to post my poem here. By itself and still in its innocence with words I really do not feel I wrote.

Did You Know?

By Christine Kimball

Dec. 15, 2012

Hi Mommy! Hey Dad! Hi Nana and Pa! Hi Whiskers and Flash!

I’m here with God, and so are my friends. He’s giving us hugs.

He doesn’t want you to worry. We’re surrounded by love.

The last time I smiled at you, was night before last.

When you pulled up the covers, you were making me laugh.

That book you read was always your best.

The voices were funny and put me to rest.

Did you know the hug you gave me at school in the morning,

Was the one hug you’d hold on to while you were in mourning?

Did you know my Christmas concert would be the last time I’d sing?

Or the trip to the park would be my last on a swing?

Nana, did you know when you left this weekend, that it’d be our last kiss?

Or my whisper to Santa would be my last wish?

And when I was running, I tripped and I fell.

That was the last time Daddy’s kiss made me well.

Whiskers and Flash – you always make me laugh!

When I pet you goodbye and you thought I’d be home…

Well God decided today that a new path I’d roam.

Mommy, I’m sorry! I left you such a mess!

But I know you’ll forgive me, ‘cause Mommy you’re the best!

Daddy thank you for taking me door to door!

You encouraged me as a mermaid, to keep getting more.

This summer I swam for the very first time.

Papa lifted my chin and told me to “keep trying”.

My socks are everywhere, and probably in the car.

Did you know I’d be here today? It just seems so far!

But God reassured me, that you’d all be okay.

If each of you loves me and continues to pray.

Did you know I left my homework lying on the table?

We rushed out the door, turn it in if you’re able.

Did you know where I hid my present for you?

I made it with paper and glitter and glue.

I hope you find it, hidden under my bed.

Take down the wreathe and put it on the door instead.

Mommy, did you know that angels are true?

They have big beautiful wings and their smiles remind me of you.

Take my pillow into your room. It smells just like me.

Hug it tight while you cry. I hug it when things are frightening.

Did you know I’d be in heaven, waiting for you?

Nana I beat you! It was such a race!

But Jesus has told me, you’ll be in this place.

I’m waiting for everyone, when you’re ready to come.

There’s no more fears that I have to hide from.

Did you know that I love you? You cannot forget.

That God’s up here with me, and beside him I sit.

Explaining SOTE

Somewhere Over the Easel

Well alright then! The title is colorful and everyone has had to read it twice to make sure they didn't read "Somewhere Over the Rainbow". Now that we've got that clear, let's talk about Somewhere Over the Easel.

I'm Christine. Human mom. Dedicated worker. Part time creative thinker. I also happen to be a little artistic and tiny bit business savvy. Tiny, very tiny. Like bread crumb on the floor tiny. I come from a long line of Human mom's, a slightly shorter line of dedicated workers and an incredibly, extra long (like the movie you wanted to leave an hour ago long) part time creative thinkers.

My home was always filled with my mother's latest crafty creation or small piece of art she spent the weekend making. Visiting my aunt's house, I was surrounded by a million hand sewn crafts including toilet paper roll covers and china dolls with handmade clothes that sat in nearly every corner of the house. At our family reunion, we found that of the 75 or so in attendance, every single one in our bloodline was artistically or musically inclined. The musical roots were the greatest gifts left to us all from generations before. 

I didn't ever think of myself as an artist. I took art classes all through grade school. Painting was my favorite thing to do. A few years ago I painted my first mural. My son wanted a Dr. Seuss room and a simple "Cat in the Hat: theme just wouldn't do. So I painted the first wall as "Oh, The Places You Go". That wasn't enough. Then we moved to wall #2 with "Horton Hears a Hoo". And while Horton was a Hoot to paint, two walls were bare and I just had to paint the Truffula Trees! At that point, I was completely hooked on mural painting. 

Then a friend at work asked me to do a little mural in her brand new 600 sq. ft. market in downtown Tampa, FL. She named the store Duckweed Urban Market because Duckweed is the smallest flowering plant in the world. And if you can imagine a 600 sq. ft. grocery store being the Only grocer in the heart of a major city, you can see why "smallest flowering plant" was an appropriate reference. My friend wanted a geometric design with her Duck logo painted on the walls of her Beer and Wine room. Yes, there's was enough space for a separate room just for alcohol. But I digress. It was referenced by in a newspaper article that these ducks were stickers. I took that as quite a compliment since I spent 18 hours hand painting them!That's precision baby. And no, I didn't use a projector to transfer the image. The store has since expanded to another location and isn't such a tiny flower any more. 

Once I painted my first official business, I knew I was on to something. But more so, my friend believed I was on to something. After many hours and days of talking me into 'doing something' with my talent, I decided she was right and that, if I was going to do anything, I needed a name. 

Today, I can't even remember all the silly things I came up with. I do remember Bandanna Brushstrokes because I always where a bandanna when I paint. (If it matters, I wear a bandanna to keep my hair out of my face without needing a headband. This reduces the headache I'll likely have otherwise). 

Somewhere Over the Easel came to me when I pictured my favorite artists. One in particular- Norman Rockwell. His Saturday Evening Post artwork were always entertaining and natural, quirky but easily could be anyone in my family. I love his painting "Self Portrait" where he is painting himself and he's sitting in the front of the canvas peaking over the easel. The Image he's painting is of a handsome version of himself and not exactly what's in the mirror.  I'm not sure why that one has always stood out to me, but it is my favorite. 

The other reference is the obvious "Somewhere over the  Rainbow" from the Wizard of Oz. There are 2 movies that I couldn't wait to see on TV the one time a year they came on. The Sound of Music and the Wizard of Oz. Their both such great musicals. And when you only get to see them once a year, you really treasure the nights with your family that you finally get to see it again. Recently I attended the 50th Anniversary Sing-A-Long to The Sound of Music at the Tampa Theatre. Thinking now, the last Sing-A-Long I went to was the Wizard of Oz. I guess I really do love those movies!

So, with my love of Normal Rockwell and The Wizard of Oz, that is how Somewhere Over the Easel was born! And I love it! Even if it makes for an extra long email address, I get a smile from everyone I give my email too. I can even hear them smile over the phone when I'm giving it to someone. 

Somewhere Over the Easel reminds me of my childhood. It reminds me of my gifts. It reminds me to look beyond the obvious. To think outside of the box and over the easel into the sunset. It reminds me to paint when I have time. I tells me that dreams do come true when I wish upon a star. It gives me a platform for so many interpretations. It reminds me that people believe in me. I can carry it as a badge of honor with my customers and friends. It reminds me to daydream. It reminds me to do something else whenever I can. It places me in a creative space. It leads me to a path I couldn't express for myself.

Somewhere Over the Easel is so many things to me, both creatively and spiritually. It brought me here to my first blog entry and led you to me.And to me, it's just beautiful.