A Coat of Many Colors

Color is amazing.

Take this afternoon, for instance. I decided to go swing on the hammock, and I needed something to wear over my clothes. Then, I found my dad’s old flannel work jacket. It’s rugged and worn on the outside, but soft and warm on the inside. It’s also red and black plaid, and I didn’t even notice until I stepped outside that my own outfit (a blue sweater and gray and yellow plaid skort) did not match the jacket at all. Since I was in the privacy of my own home, I didn’t bother changing.

When I got on the hammock, I noticed all of the different colors around me. The sky was a brilliant blue, the clouds a wonderful white, the grass a marvelous mixture of dark green and dry brown. The forest green trees separating the neighbors’ property and ours danced in time to the steady beat of the gentle wind.

All of these things made me think about the power of color. Colors can show us all kinds of things. They can show us other people’s moods (I don’t know a single person yet who never owned a mood ring back in the day). Eric Carle, Brian Selznick, and Bill Watterson all enhanced wonderful stories using color illustrations. Millions of dollars have gone into an industry that deals with color three-dimensionally- that is, one that creates garments visually flattering to different skin tones and body types. There are Oscars for Best Costumes and Best Cinematography simply because we care about color.

Why do we care so much about the difference about pink and purple?

The answer is twofold, I think.

First, color represents beauty. The beauty of all living things manifests itself through their colors. We can more easily appreciate the sky, when we see its endless horizon and the deep color it takes (blue, gray, white, dusky pink and orange). We see the evidence of a clean slate, a day full of mystery, which appeals to us. Second, color represents diversity. Looking at trees, clouds, the grass, and sprouting flowers reminded me how exciting it looks when it all comes together. Nature exhibits perfect harmony in every way, which ought to inspire us to look at other people (and ourselves) a little differently.

You don’t have to be an artist to appreciate color. You just have to be willing to see what’s in front of you.

Well, don’t just sit there. The world’s waiting.