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THE COLOR OF FRIENDSHIP
Once upon a time the colors of the world started to
quarrel. All claimed that they were the best. The most
important. The most useful. The favorite.
Green said:
"Clearly I am the most important. I am the sign of life
and of hope. I was chosen for grass, trees and leaves.
Without me, all animals would die. Look over the
countryside and you will see that I am in the majority.
Blue interrupted: "You only think about the earth, but
consider the sky and the sea. It is the water that is
the basis of life and drawn up by the clouds from the
deep sea. The sky gives space and peace and serenity
Without my peace, you would all be nothing."
Yellow chuckled:
"You are all so serious. I bring laughter, gaiety, and
warmth into the world. The sun is yellow, the moon is
yellow, the stars are yellow. Every time you look at a
sunflower, the whole world starts to smile. Without me
there would be no fun."
Orange started next to blow her trumpet: "I am the color
of health and strength. I may be scarce, but I am
precious for I serve the needs of human life. I carry
the most important vitamins. Think of carrots, pumpkins,
oranges, mangoes, and papayas. I don't hang around all
the time, but when I fill the sky at sunrise or sunset,
my beauty is so striking that no one gives another
thought to any of you."
Red could stand it no longer he shouted out: "I am the
ruler of all of you. I am blood - life's blood! I am the
color of danger and of bravery. I am willing to fight
for a cause. I bring fire into the blood. Without me,
the earth would be as empty as the moon. I am the color
of passion and of love, the red rose, the poinsettia and
the poppy."
Purple rose up to his full height: He was very tall and
spoke with great pomp: "I am the color of royalty and
power. Kings, chiefs, and bishops have always chosen me
for I am the sign of authority and wisdom. People do not
question me! They listen and obey."
Finally Indigo spoke, much more quietly than all the
others, but with just as much determination: "Think of
me. I am the color of silence. You hardly notice me, but
without me you all become superficial. I represent
thought and reflection, twilight and deep water. You
need me for balance and contrast, for prayer and inner
peace."
And so the colors went on boasting, each convinced of
his or her own superiority. Their quarreling became
louder and louder. Suddenly there was a startling flash
of bright lightening thunder rolled and boomed. Rain
started to pour down relentlessly. The colors crouched
down in fear, drawing close to one another for comfort.
In the midst of the clamor, God began to speak: "You
foolish colors, fighting amongst yourselves, each trying
to dominate the rest. Don't you know that you were each
made for a special purpose, unique and different? Join
hands with one another and come to me."
Doing as they were told, the colors united and joined
hands.
God continued: "From now on, when it rains, each of you
will stretch across the sky in a great bow of color as a
reminder that you can all live in peace. The Rainbow is
a sign of hope for tomorrow." And so, whenever a good
rain washes the world, and a Rainbow appears in the sky
let us remember to appreciate one another. |
