I used to have this neighbour who painted the walls of her house bright colours. "Bright" is perhaps an understatement. Her dining room was yellow, but it was not your average buttercream, lemon or golden yellow. It was "mustard on steroids" yellow. The colour of her bedroom walls was what I affectionately called "Barbie coughs up a lung" pink. My neighbour loved her house, and I thought she was crazy.
These days I've changed my tune and I think I finally understand what my neighbour did: Colour is beautiful. Colour brings joy. Colour inspires.
Children understand this implicitly. They are exuberant in their colouring and their clothing combinations. God also understands this. One has only to look at colour combinations in nature to see that this is true. It is we adults who have "lost" this understanding.
Why is it that we care more about others' opinions than about what brings us joy? Why do we live our lives according to "social convention" and let that hinder us from being creative and free? We end up painting our walls taupe, sandstone and beige, and then pride ourselves on being "normal".
Today, I did something I've always wanted to do but never did because "You're Not Supposed To". I did something that will likely cause people to stare and say, "Aren't you a little old for that?" to which I shall smile and politely reply, "Probably. But it brings me joy."
My neighbour would be proud.
These days I've changed my tune and I think I finally understand what my neighbour did: Colour is beautiful. Colour brings joy. Colour inspires.
Children understand this implicitly. They are exuberant in their colouring and their clothing combinations. God also understands this. One has only to look at colour combinations in nature to see that this is true. It is we adults who have "lost" this understanding.
Why is it that we care more about others' opinions than about what brings us joy? Why do we live our lives according to "social convention" and let that hinder us from being creative and free? We end up painting our walls taupe, sandstone and beige, and then pride ourselves on being "normal".
Today, I did something I've always wanted to do but never did because "You're Not Supposed To". I did something that will likely cause people to stare and say, "Aren't you a little old for that?" to which I shall smile and politely reply, "Probably. But it brings me joy."
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