One of the most common and elementary questions that a person gets asked is, "What is your favorite color?"
Mine would be red.
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It's been my favorite color for the longest time now.
And you may think that to be an absolutely mundane and basic answer, to which I completely understand. After all, red is high up on the list when it comes to most peoples' favorite colors.
However, I must admit that I have a deeper reason as to why I'm so fond of the color red. There is an underlying meaning about red that symbolizes something more to me.
To me, red is extremely prevalent when it comes to the emotional spectrum. It represents both positive and negative feelings.
Author Mary Hogan once wrote that red "is the color of life. It's blood, passion, rage. It's menstrual flow and after birth. Beginnings and violent end. Red is the color of love. Beating hearts and hungry lips. Roses, Valentines, cherries. Red is the color of shame. Crimson cheeks and spilled blood. Broken hearts, opened veins. A burning desire to return to white.”
According to Carey Jolliffe Graphic Arts' chart on the Psychology of Color, here are some of the moods associated with bright red (also known as PMS 186C):
Positives: exciting, passionate, courageous, powerful, adventurous, provocative, spontaneous, energizing, dynamic, stimulating
Negatives: overly aggressive, violent, warlike, temperamental, danger, antagonistic
A while back, I wrote a short poem where the writing prompt was to describe the color red without using the word itself. To this day, it is one of my proudest works.
"When your eyes meet hers, it's the expression on your face, nervous and flustered. But also curious and intrigued.
The uncertainty and possibility of the future looms above your head.
It's the type of flowers you get her on that unforgettable first date.
When you sweep her across the dance floor, it's her dress floating elegantly under the bright lights.
It's the color of your flushed cheeks as you lean in to kiss her.
Her.
Completely new and unknown, like a planet waiting to be discovered and explored.
It's the traces of her lipstick stained on your pillowcase from the night before.
When you first tell her you love her, it's your fast-paced heart skipping beat after beat.
It's the veins pumping blood and life throughout your body. And they might just stop if she didn't say she loved you back.
But lucky you. She does.
It is pure blissful rapture and Cupid's arrows at work.
It is thinking to yourself, "How could I ever be happier than this?"
But when you decide that you're done loving her, that burning fire becomes extinguished.
It's the feeling of guilt in your conscience.
It's the lack of sleep in her puffy tear-stained eyes.
The very ones you fell in love with.
It's the quiet rage in her voice as she curses the heavens and wishes she never met you.
It's the sharp sound of her palm straight across your cheek when you tell her she was never going to be enough.
It's the stab of hesitation and doubt you feel when she walks out the door one last time.
It's the blood boiling through your veins when someone else can love her better.
It is anger and frustration and regret with this cruel twist of fate.
And it is thinking to yourself, "How could I let her go?""
So maybe now you can understand how unpredictable the color red can be.
It can fill your heart up with rapture and euphoria...or it can shatter your heart into a million little pieces.
It's certainly a wildcard.
And perhaps that's why I'm fascinated with it so much. Because you don't know what's coming next and feeling the color red, ranging from love, passion, happiness to anger, jealously, obsession...it will send you on a whirlwind of strong emotions. And ultimately, that is what makes life so beautiful; being able to feel deeply. A blessing and a curse.
