18 March Joy Dare

 

3 Gifts Red

 

I love colour, and for years it was green – in all shades. But in the last two years, my decorating colour of choice was red. I see it as being bold, vibrant, exciting, encouraging and demanding of attention.

 

Let me tell you a story about my experiences with the colour red:

A while back I bought a new dining room table from Ikea (swoon, fav shop when I am cashed up), and I desperately wanted to have red chairs of all different shapes and designs around it. That was vetoed (apparently Red would “date”).

So then I thought about cushions of red in all different shades and combos and patterns? But that was too costly.

So I just bought the matching cheaper brown chairs. It seemed like the easiest choice and the path of least resistance.

 

And then a few months later I was bitching and moaning to the Ex about how I was disappointed that I got the boring chairs, when all my heart desired was to have the red chairs. And then this popped out unexpectedly…

“Don’t you get it? I AM THE RED CHAIR!!!”

I had never articulated that kind of thought before. It simply slipped out in a moment of equal parts frustration and despair.  I stopped in my tracks as I realised that I had changed from the bold, vibrant, encouraging, demanding Belle that we all know and love (don’t we??!!!), to the bland, cheaper, drab version that blended in.

I believe this is when the death knells began tolling.

 

So I am thankful for the colour red, and that my attraction to the colour was more about my internal need to return to who I actually am, rather than who I thought I was expected to be…..

 

And just to complete the Dare, here are two more Red things im thankful for:

I love the colour of strawberries growing in my garden at this time of year. I love it when you cant see any and then you lift the leaves and voila! There they are, all glimmering and dark red and luscious looking.

 

I love Benji wearing red. It makes him look so handsome and kissable. He was wearing a red t-shirt yesterday and against his olive skin and brown eyes, oh I could just stare at him forever. Love love love that child.