Ashley's Charmed Chalk

I love the street that I have called my home for the last five years. From being the setting for some of my favorite sunsets to my frequent hawk visitors to Carwash's whistling, my life on this south Grant Park street has been charmed.

For the last couple months the lovely young lady that lives next door to me has been using my sidewalk as canvas for her chalk murals and messages. I absolutely beam each time I pull into my driveway and see that there is new rainbow dust sprawling the expanse of my house and rush out of my car to get a closer look at her latest art.

Ashley's accuracy in message choices is uncanny. Returning to Atlanta after a trip to Chicago I was greeted with "Home Sweet Home". After a particularly rough day at the Capitol her chalk encouraged me to "don't worry, be happy". The last night of the legislative session my sidewalk was emblazoned with "SARA YOU ROCK" in block letters. And sometimes it'll just be loopy swirls around hearts and skulls. Yesterday's message was lovely, and complete with details like the earth, a banana peel and her entire family's hand-prints- her mother told me she insisted they all make their mark:



I can be an absolute cynic and occasionally indulge in intellectual snobbery but my god, there is something about a message from a 5th grader that The World Is In Our Hands that completely melts my dark little heart. When I got home today I noticed that Ashley added another part to the message right in front of my front door:



I am so glad to be neighbors. Thank you Ashley, for being such a dependable and delightful sidewalk cheerleader.

(As an aside I just have to note my deep joy and wonder that after months of blog silence, both my lovely sister and I publish new pieces within a day of each other)