A series of essays.....
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| LAVENDER KISSED BY PURPLE RAYS OF LIGHT |
.....as seen through my eyes!
I believe that after the Purple Rain falls and saturates the earth, the Purple Rays of the Sun will shine down upon all of us creating beauty and a glorious light!
After taking this photo in the early evening hours this past Sunday, I began to realize how much the color purple truly affects my life.
Just as the dampness can begin to affect your health or, your attitude can affect how successful you are, your perception of happiness can be attributed to the appropriate balance between color and light.
"For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. You receive from the world what you give to the world." ....Gary Zukav, "The Seat of the Soul." The Artist, Prince, has given us so much to think about, not only during his lifetime but, especially, now that he has left us behind to pick up the pieces and make sense from where there is none; to give back hope to those who may have lost it long ago. Sighting examples of how many of us reacted to the loss of Prince this past week may offer some insight as to how his actions have affected us personally for years.
A consummate, self-made musical magician, Prince.......but, those of us who loved and appreciated his talents already know this amazing story. We've probably watched his movie "Purple Rain" more times than we care to admit. And now, after we've lost his physical presence in this world, we slowly begin to understand what a powerful impact that presence had on so many of us. "You don't know what you've got 'til it's gone."
His talent for loving and giving back to those in need makes him a hero in my eyes. Because he was not a prideful man, he preferred to keep a low profile within his personal life. He tried to make the world a better place in small, quiet ways. Now that the purple dazzle behind his secrecy and positive intentions towards mankind is slowly being revealed, we begin to see how his legacy will be one of giving, loving, and generating hope for mankind.
And, as I speak of heroes, the color purple has represented the highest admiration and respect we give our military heroes and is tastefully noted in the Medal of Honor called the Purple Heart. This esteemed military decoration of merit is awarded to members of the United States Armed Forces for wounds incurred or upon their death while serving to protect our country.
After taking the picture of sweet lavender touched by a purple sun, I wanted to reflect on this royal color; a 'princely' color intermediate between red and blue, worn by and associated with an emperor or senior magistrate in ancient Rome or Byzantium. I wanted to better understand why I enjoy seeing this color so much and seek it out whenever possible.
Could my desire for this color coincide with it lavishing the bedroom walls and wardrobes of so many 'little princesses' (granddaughter included)? I'm certain it does. There is something youthful and optimistic about the various shades of purple that young girls (actually, girls of any age) can identify with.
Purple is passionate. Purple is strong. Purple can be softened or toned down with the addition of white or with bright light reflecting off of it. This shade called 'lavender' evokes the lavender fields of southern France with its serpentine rows of aromatic flowers marching along an undulating path stretching into infinity. How I long to run between those rows on a warm, sunny day in late June and capture the unique essence of Provençal dreaming.
The usual liturgical color of Advent, celebrating the anticipation of the Second Coming of Christ, is either violet or purple. This color, representing hope, is often used for wall hangings around the church, the vestments of the clergy, and decorates the tabernacle, an ornamental cabinet on the altar that holds the bread and wine that symbolizes the body and blood of Jesus Christ.
Can you hear colors and see sounds?
There is a neurological condition called synesthesia in which two or more of the senses entwine. Numbers and letters, sensations and emotions, days and months are all associated with colors. To a certain degree, we all have been touched by this condition in that certain colors elicit sensations within us all of the time. Colors, music, and words can summon powerful memories and emotions from our past and arouse pity, raise a smile, or educe sympathy.
The color purple will always remind me of Prince, The Artist. We will hear one of his songs later in our life and it will be like.......BOOM!!, right back at being eighteen, twenty-six, or thirty again. His death will serve to make us mourn the loss of our own youth.
Since the passing of Prince, the evening skies appear more lavender. The purple rays of the sun pierce my existence offering more energy while saturating my world with its ornate visual of beauty and light! More of us seek out the pure power of this extraordinary color in all of its various shades: amethyst, aubergine, claret, heather, indigo, lilac, pansy, periwinkle, and violet....to name a few.
We should be grateful that Prince's music continues to soundtrack every important moment of our life. My wish is that the power of the color purple will serve as a reminder of hope and will provide an effective beacon of light that will guide all of us into a brighter, stronger future.
Prince, your energy will be missed......but never forgotten!
Copyright © 2016 by Jacqueline E. Hughes
All rights reserved
