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 bring fire into the blood. I am willing
to fight for a cause. I am the color of danger and of
bravery. 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, cheifs, 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."

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, rain 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.

The rain 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.