All The Colors Of The Rainbow {Insp}

"All The Colors Of The Rainbow"

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, 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 pawpaws.
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 am the color 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 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,
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."

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."

And 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.

{Based on a Native American Legend}
Received on Sun May 30 10:39:12 2004