It's a Color Thing

Pink everywhere! I'm almost tired of pink! They call it Pink-tober and for good reason. I look good in pink. Pink is a good color for me, unlike baby blue. I can't pull off baby blue or light green. In fact, the only pastel I can wear is pink but I think it's because pink is one of those universal colors that looks good on anyone. But with all the emphasis on pink it started me thinking about how color is a huge part of how we see the world.

From the beginning of time man has defined pieces of his existence by using color. The Bible uses color to evoke strong images, whether about battles to be fought, rewards to be gained, or sins to be punished. These would be your strong colors - deep reds, black, bright gold or silver. White as snow immediately calls to your memory something pure and simple. The deep blue sea fills your mind's eye with roiling waters, coral reefs, and rocks majestically rising above the crashing waves. Blood red is obvious. The green eyed monster recalls jealousy and envy.

I like strong colors and blending earth tones together. I even change my computer color schemes to match the seasons - light green for spring, ice blue for winter, orange for fall and red for summer. Seasons have color. Holidays have color. The earth has many colors. Causes have color, as does our "essence". We are surrounded by color and we associate certain things based on their color. Pink is for baby girls. Blue is for baby boys. Yellow is for either one. White is for weddings. Gold is for anniversaries. Green is for money. Black is for funerals. Schools and colleges spend countless dollars marketing their colors. If you live in Tallahassee and you see garnet and gold together, guess what you autmatically think of - the Seminoles - even if the item was not made for that purpose.

But pink has invaded my life recently and that's okay. At least it's a good color on me. But I prefer to see my world for more than just the one color that has defined my recent battle. I want to soak up all the color life can offer. Green grass, bright orange blooms, white magnolia blossoms, red roses, blue water, mountains with layers of multi-colored rock, acres of tan-colored wheat. The big brown eyes of all my girls. The way my husband's eyes turn bright green when he's happy. The soft, pitch-black fur of my cat, and dog, and bunny! The red and gold Christmas decorations on our tree each year with all the multi-colored lights. The beautiful browns, reds and oranges that deck the porches during the fall, guarded by a scarecrow with a plaid shirt and denim overalls. The pink and white bunnies and eggs during Easter. My granddaughter's soft brown curly hair and how it streaks blonde when she's in the sun.

This is what defines me. It's not one color but a whole host of colors. A world of emotions and feelings. A world of love, of honesty, of friendship, all blended together perfectly to make a beautiful palette from which to paint. And it would be easy to miss these colors if you see your world in only shades of grey or black and white. Experience all the color life has to offer. It is then you truly exist "in living color". So what's your color?

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