Hues and Shades

Black. Source, Pinterest.

Take a moment to imagine you had no eyes. How would you have perceived colors? And colors — they are beautiful, such elegance that we fail to notice because we are too used to it. Everything would have been a tad bit too boring without color. In my own opinion, colors are one reasons why we were given eyes to see how beautifully well God made the earth with such nice palette.

Further from that, we pick one color over the other when we make decisions. Eh, I don’t like this, too bright, the other too dull.

Maybe we all do (and are a little bias with it too). In here, as I have been prompted today to do, I will be writing to (and not about) that one color I think favors me and a big part of the world I see, one color that I think nearly everything looks good in (so good that humans had to be created in it with a tag). Rings a bell?

Before you hop in, flag any thoughts of racism you have in your mind, I assure you, I do not come from that angle.

Dear Black,

Sincerely, I do not know how you came to be. You were available a long time before I was born. For a moment, I thought you were everywhere, even when I close my eyes (well, turns out you are not there, because eigengrau, not black, is what we see when our eyes are closed) and I cherished you so much. I still cherish you as much. So monotonous and still beautiful to behold. The first color that appeared on the screens (yeah, alongside white, not giving you all the accolade), the one we used to write ancient letters in, in times past (alongside blue, red, brown, green and purple for royalties). You shine even in your simplicity, perfection in that sea of sameness.

In dresses, when we wear you, you bring forth a difference that cannot be exactly pinned. Attires made in you can be worn with any other colors, astounding like that you are.

Different and kingly. Common but pretty. In every turn, your hue is there. We see you in the most basic things. Shoes, bags, devices, belts. Lovely true you are, awesome little color black.

With you there have been associations, with you there have been assumptions. Dark as you are you have been called names, some worthy, some not.

The people who were craft in your hue — the blacks — effortlessly stunning people they are. Their skins shine in the sun, striking such lushness that is incomprehensible. From you racism was brought (simply because a different set of humans did not have you and thought they would be stained by contact but that’s alright — it is not — we will let it pass). Pulchritudinous to be behold, the dazzling energy in which you shine. You came in skin, mesmerizing, rich, simply beautiful! Melanin that shines, and still yet, protects.

Oh, black, you are gold too! Or haven’t you, reader, heard of black gold? Crude, that is it, black gold (from the blacks’ soil, if you remember). What are you not, lovely little color black?

But you could be hated too, especially when you are associated with dirt. Black teeth — decay, black trails in water — disgusting, black smoke in the air — unhealthy. But I do not criticize you, beautiful color, for nothing that was made, was made flawless in all sides (except for the One). Even the deepest and most compelling black can be silk or sludge, depending on what you touch.