Why We Need More Gray

WHY WE NEED MORE GRAY

I love black. I like to wear it head to toe and believe as a color, it delivers a hell of a lot, not to mention I usually appear skinnier than I actually am. Black is Beautiful.

I love white. I also like to wear it head to toe – it’s simplicity makes everything look fresh and chic.  White is classic and effortless.  It’s an easy color take for granted. White is Wonderful.

Gray, not so much. It’s just sorta, meh. It’s okay as an accent color or when it’s done in hombre. It makes for a nice car interior. But for the most part, it’s a depressing color. Gray (USA spelling) or Grey (UK spelling) literally means, without color. It represents ash, lead and dreary days. Gray is not great. (exception:  elephants are excellent). 

But, I do love gray when it comes to conversations. I like a lot of gray area. Gray area in a conversation means there’s a chance for a different perspective to be heard, considered and perhaps a point of view to be changed. Gray is the “middle ground” in a conversation or angry dispute. Black and white seem awfully judgey compared to our colorless mousy Gray.  

Where am I going with this? I’m relating black, white and gray to people, like you and me. People are becoming intolerant of gray not because it sucks as a color, but because they are so committed to their black or white. 

Let me get real specific in case my attempt to set-up the story just failed.

Do you know anyone that is all black or white? Everything is black or white. A person is good or bad. A restaurant is horrible or the best. A dog breed is superior or worthless. A school is the finest or unacceptable? Your opinion is either entirely 100% correct or you’re dead wrong?  

I know people that wear black and white glasses everyday, all day. Some are in my family, some just acquaintances and others friends. Recently, I was thinking about a friend and how everything for her is black or white. You’re either with her/him or against her. You share her point of view and your good, or you don’t and your bad. You like what she likes and you’re in the club, love flows and you’re lavished with her attention. You are special and chosen, lucky you!  But wait! Make a wrong move, express a wrong opinion, align with the wrong team or side, challenge her, dare to cross her and BAM. BLACK OUT. You are bad, get a healthy does of the silent treatment and sometimes, you get told off.  She has no room for gray. She’s painted herself into a black and white box and sadly, never see’s the gray area. I have met a lot of people with this all or nothing perspective on life: social issues, child rearing, family, religion, marriage and health – mental and physical.

The world is becoming more black or white and I’m not talking about skin color! We are digging into our trenches and crossing our arms.  We use social media to type things we would never dare say face to face. We spend our time focused on black and white issues, right vs. wrong, good and bad.  But what if … we could all shift a little, into the GRAY ZONE?  What would our world be like on a macro level?  What about in your micro world? What happens when we get all cozy in the GRAY ZONE?  I believe life gets better. I believe we have less stress, feel more connected and feel gratification.  Gratification that comes from being respected and heard.  There are no flow charts of blame in the GRAY ZONE and no name calling.  Sounds nice doesn’t it?

Because this all black vs white trend in life, I’ve come to admire dreary, cloudy, meh gray.  I appreciate all that this mighty color and metaphor does for us.  It’s not colorless, it’s the one color that allows other colors to take center stage and shine.  Gray never gets jealous, seeks attention or competes.  It’s totally happy being in the middle, having a front row seat to all the world has to offer.  Gray is the color of understanding, negotiating and empathy.  Being in the GRAY ZONE, sitting in meh for a while, allows us the opportunity to be calm, listen and learn. Who can’t use more of that?  

In the GRAY ZONE, we are able to see around the corner and peer into the darkest depths of black and hopefully gain insights and consider a different perspective. From the GRAY ZONE we’re able to see into the future with all the hopes and dreams that thrive in the brightest white.

I am taking back my previous thoughtless comments about gray. GRAY IS GREAT! Grey makes black and white better colors and in turn, makes the people living in their black and white worlds, have a chance to see the world in a whole new light. 

If you know someone that might benefit from some time in The Gray Zone, feel free to give them a gentle nudge by sharing this post!  Invite them to meet you in The Gray Zone for a minute.

learn, laugh and lighten up,
Mrs. Funny Honey

ps:  all of my posts are always in brown, keeping with my stunning “honey” visual identity.  But for this one post, I’m totally gray.  Do you dig it?