Saturday, July 08, 2006

The Color Purple



Purple combines the stability of blue and the energy of red. Purple is associated with royalty. It symbolizes power, nobility, luxury, and ambition. It conveys wealth and extravagance. Purple is associated with wisdom, dignity, independence, creativity, mystery, and magic.

And, it's my favorite color.

When I was 5 1/2 years old, we moved to a new home. My room was softly painted in lavendar and white. I'm not sure if I picked the color, or if my mom picked it for me.

I only know...I loved it.

If a room can make you feel a particular way, then my room knew just how to gently remind me that I was pretty, and delicate, and special.

The moment I entered, I felt transformed. Safe. Secure.

I cared for and nurtured my room like a best friend. I kept it clean and neat, and respected every inch of my special space.

Children can sense what is going on in a home, like radar. They can see movement, the blink of an eye, the tone of a voice...and know that something has changed.

My brother and I were not told of my father's illness, but as all children do, I imagine we could sense the turn our destiny would soon take.

I look back now and wonder if my drive to maintain an orderly room, was really my attempt to calm the chaos I could sense going on in our home.

Nonetheless, I would fondly remember that lavendar room for the rest of my life.

We moved when I was 12, leaving behind the room that had wrapped itself around me, caring for and soothing me through my life turning upside down.

I no longer had a lavendar room.

The years went by, living in various apartments, until I married Mr. Cruisin. We lived in the house he already owned.

It was the '80's...mauve (just a fancy way of saying muted pink) was the color of choice. My husband, being the good sport that he is, agreed to redo the master bedroom in mauve. Can you imagine? Prior to me showing up on the scene, it was he and his cat...living the "manly life".

A few years later, we would move to our home we live in now.

When it came time to decorate the master bedroom, color decisions had to be made. The '90's were quickly approaching and mauve was on it's way out. A new color for the bedroom was definitely in order.

In my quest to pick an appropriate color, I could feel a wave wash over me.

PURPLE

I could, once again, have a purple bedroom!

I brought this idea to my husband, who had just finished living with a mauve bedroom.

He agreed to the purple bedroom. It was as if this man could sense my need to have a room that would once again, wrap it's arms around me. Not many men would go along with a purple bedroom. But my husband did.

For the last 18 years, we have lived in a bedroom that is predominantly purple.

When I walk into my bedroom, I'm reminded of what it feels like to be pretty and delicate and special, even if it's momentarily.

I'm not quite so neat and clean anymore. I suppose I no longer have to hold so tightly to calm and order. Having children certainly changes all of that.

Creating order in my pretty lavendar room did not change the sorrow that was to follow.

But now, my purple room beckons the memories of a time when my world was safe...

in a room softly painted in lavendar and white.

19 comments:

yasser said...

i thought that red was more the royal colour than purple; anyway, big fan of purple myself too.

kasamba said...

Crusin, you just have a way with words that brings a tear to my eye and a lump in my throat.

May you always feel as lovely and safe as you did in your original purple room.

Baleboosteh said...

What a beautiful post, I agree with Kasamba. I must admit, I am also quite a fan of purple.
Mr Crisin must be a good man to go along with all that mauve and purple!!

torontopearl said...

Beautiful post -- as usual. You truly work your magic with words, weaving the past with the present. A gift.

In my last year of high school, I believe, I wore a lot of shades of purple: purple, lilac, loganberry grape, mauve. I coined an expression that reflected my color of choice; people often used it on me, too.

"(Je suis) a la mauve!" / "Pearl, you're a la mauve today!"(instead of Je suis a la mode -- I am in style/fashion.)

treppenwitz said...

Our master bedroom is purple. My lovely wife doesn't call it purple, though. She uses some made-up word for one of the lighter shades of purple... but I'm onto the fact that these are just words created by women to confuse and belittle men.

Like I said. Purple.

the only way i know said...

was my fave color too when growing up - as was my bedroom
.......
and as is my bedroom now...soft lavender....

what you wrote was soft and nostalgiac - as are a few of your posts

i'm like that too.. i like to touch to the past, - it makes the present more amazing ....
and hope for the future, as exciting and wonderful as the memories of the past..,.

socialworker/frustrated mom said...

Great post on the color of purple. Beautiful flower pic.

cruisin-mom said...

Yasser: Well, of course red can be found in purple! Thanks for stopping by.

kasamba: that's such a sweet compliment, you brought a tear to my eye and lump to my throat :)

baleboosteh: Thank you! Yes, Mr. Cruisin is quite a guy.

T.P.: weaving the past with the present...didn't even realize I was doing that...thanks for clarifying that...I like it.

Jack: Thanks!

Trepp: I knew I liked that wife of yours :)(and you too, for being a brave man and tolerating purple)

towik: glad to hear you have stayed with the soft lavendar. Thanks for your thoughts about my writing.

SWFM: thanks...this was the first picture that would actually upload.

Ezzie said...

Great post, CM. Serach's favorite color (by far) is purple as well - this thrilled my sister at our wedding, whose favorite color it is as well. And of course one of my sis-in-laws bought Elianna a bunch of purple outfits to keep the tradition alive... :)

cruisin-mom said...

Ezzie: see, women just love purple. Glad to hear Elianna is getting an early indoctrination. You must post a pic of her in one of her purple outifts!

Wendy said...

Lovely. This evokes so much emotion.

cruisin-mom said...

Wendy: Thanks so much.

Ralphie said...

Purple is my middle daughter's favorite color, too - she's pretty much a fanatic about it.

When my wife and I moved into our first house, the master bedroom was hot pink - including the ceiling. It was quickly changed.

Trep - I believe the eskimos have 17 words for purple. Or something like that.

PsychoToddler said...

Purple is my favorite too. I think.

cruisin-mom said...

Ralphie: you can't fool me, I know that "middle daughter" is really you *wink wink*.

P.T.: of course it is!

socialworker/frustrated mom said...

Ha so you're lucky it was a good one.

... Is the Window to Our Soul said...

Ok..what day is it again? This is too strange...I just went out and bought a carload of plants for my garden, with most of them being purple, everything from Lavender to Clementis. I love that color, in fact it's the color of my daughter's bedroom. It's very beautiful, feminine and serene.

... Is the Window to Our Soul said...

Meant to also add, Randi, this is another beautiful, well written post.

Boy, when those blog awards come around again, I think you will be in the lead.

cruisin-mom said...

S.T.: of course, how could you be surprised we both love purple? I love that that's the color of your little girl's room! One day, she will hopefully have memories of a room that wrapped itself around her :)

And thanks for the wonderful compliment. You're funny...an award? I don't think I've ever won an award!