Once upon a time,
the colours of the world started
to quarrel. All claimed that they were the best.
The most important. The most useful. The favourite.
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 colour 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 pawpaws. I don't hang around all the time, but
when I fill the sky at sunrise and 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 colour 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 colour 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 colour 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 colour 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 colours went on boasting, each
convinced of his or her own superiority. Their
quarrelling became louder and louder. Suddenly,
there was a startling flash of lightning, and thunder
rolled and boomed. Rain started to pour down
relentlessly. The colours crouched in fear, drawing
close to one another for comfort.
In the midst of the clamour, rain began to speak:
"You foolish colours, 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 colours united and joined
hands.
The rain continued, "From now on, when it rains,
each of you will stretch across the sky in a great bow
of colour 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.
"Beloved, if God so loved us, we also
ought to love one another." ~~ 1 John 4:11
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