You remember when adult coloring books first exploded a couple years ago? Now you can hardly go anywhere without seeing one. From mandalas to pop-culture themed books to scenes from far-away places, we just can’t seem to get enough of coloring. I myself have a Paris coloring book, a Doctor Who coloring book, and a Scripture coloring book, as well as a full-fledged coloring NIV Bible. I have markers and colored pencils–I even have a coloring app on my phone for when my tangible coloring implements aren’t around.

But as the title of this post suggests, I loved coloring before this phenomenon came about. And I don’t mean as a child, although I liked it then, too. Even as an adult I would get children’s coloring books and spend a quiet afternoon here and there just coloring away while listening to music, especially when stressed or upset. It was always very therapeutic.

And while I know people who don’t feel this way about coloring, clearly the prevalence of grown-up coloring paraphernalia proves that I’m not in the least alone.

Tonight as I pulled out my coloring Bible and plugged in my headphones to listen to the corresponding passage on my phone while I filled in the intricate image of Genesis 2:18, I pondered why this might be. Why do so many of us find this action of filling monochromatic images with color so enticing and soothing?

I can only speak for myself, of course, but as I thought about it, the answer seemed obvious. It’s such a simple, straightforward mixture of structure with personal expression. We express our creativity in the colors we choose for each segment–nothing but the amount of crayons or pencils or markers we have handy limits our decision. But at the same time, we are bound by the existing lines of the picture before us. We know our limits and don’t have to make all of the decisions.

It’s what we crave in life. A delicate balance of freedom and rules that will keep us both creative and safe. And while both do exist, it can be very hard to figure out exactly where in the murky gray area one ends and the other begins.

But not in coloring. In coloring, it’s so much clearer.

That’s why I think I love it.