would it be….

“color red or color green”
by gab david
September 29, 2005 / 3.27 pm


this story was based from a priest’s homily last Tuesday, September 27, 2005 at six to six thirty pm mass, yet, the writer would like to clear that he did some changes in the said story and some parts of it were modified to further understand what’s the real purpose and its behind of the story is all about. this is about choosing which color you would want to pick and which it may have no particular reason as well as why man is unconsciously become one sided person even there can be some possible ways to live a life to its fullest and yet being simple.

once there was a teacher who once told a story to her students in a far flung barangay. the story is about choosing a particular color whether you will choose color red or green. it was one ordinary day for the students, in grade school, and to the teacher. the sun was is in high spirit illuminating the windows from the left of the room. and the ambiance of the classroom was the same as yesterday and the other day. the room are not quite big yet what not too crowded for the whole class to scrambled each other. it’s the usual room like the other public school in the region, a square type, and the tables and chair are arrange in a parallel form, by two’s, in every row. while the teacher was discussing colors and shapes to her students. at the same time, other are busy and some are eagerly listening but some are busy chatting to their sit mates. because of that, the teacher notice that not everybody are attentively listening and participating to the discussion. so, the teacher got an interesting and a simple idea for the student to be able them to divert their attention to her and let them participate again.

so, the teacher said, “okay class lets have a game”. so when the teacher said it to the class. an astonishing reaction just flowed to the room and all eyes and even ears were with her automatically. then, some students said (with giggles in their heart), wow, its exiting, some said, hmm yeepee we will be playing and some said, lets start it, teacher (with excitement all over the room and giggles in every eyes of the students) the teacher now started to ask the simple question. now, the teacher ask, “okay children, this will be too simple, there is two colors, color red and color green, all you need to do is to choose from it. then, I will explain it later the difference of it.” now, the teacher starts to ask and choose a student. student number one, he answered color green! student number two, red, student number three, red, student number four green, student number five, green, student number six, green, and so on and so fort. while the teacher was asking half of the class, there is this one student answered differently to the class. and all the students where, actually, surprised of her answer. then, the room was covered with silence. even the teacher was struck and didn’t answer back, she was astonish at the same time speechless, after she heard the answered of her student. then all eyes, of the teacher and her fellow classmate, are with the her, she said why?(with naïve face, while looking to the class). then, the teacher ask her again, “can you repeat your answer?, the girl said (with conviction), and slowly said “ I choose Stripes”.

if you look unto the story, on the first part, it would sound typical or you might said to yourself “ …I’ve already heard this stuff or oh, its just similar to what my friend said”. so, those things would actually comes in a very usual reaction and can be justify the whole story. actually, the author modifies some of it, so that he wanted to emphasize the soul of the story not merely the flow of the story. as you can see, the author was astonished and really catch his attention of the finale of the story. when the student answered and said, “I choose stripes”. to some of you, you might think of, hey, this girl is crazy, you are being ask to choose one and yet you answered differently. or you might said “ hello, red and green and nothing!” or maybe, this “ are you listening?” but, for the author, the answer of the girl, find him hard to comprehend and it really didn’t sink in automatically. it took him to understand completely after a couple of minutes and realizes why the girl answered “I choose stripes” . actually, it was too simple, people in their life time tend to choose their favorite color in life and pursued it until they reach to the top. but, while in the transition of their life, there’s come a point that from one color they automatically jump to another and follow it because they have realizes that they want that color and need it so much. in spite of having and choose their color. people are changing, the author understand it, but the author would like only to emphasize that sometimes if not most of the time, people tend to jump from one color to another and beck to the original then jump again to the another one and so on and so fort. meaning, people are blinded by one color alone in their life. after choosing what color they preferred they stick to it and when something happen they just immediately jump to another. the author knows that man is insatiable (most of the time) and man wanted more and more and more. but, the in the real life, how come people never chooses the same color or the “stripes” one? and try to live with it. the authors point of view on this, is that, a man can actually live with it (by having the stripes color in life) yet, they just become more and sufficient on one sided mind. the author may sound optimistic on this part but he just wanted to give the possible way to live a simple life which aches are not welcome. despite the world is not as what it should be before in per se. still, it is not also a hindrance if we start to pick the “stripes side of life”. the thinks that it would not be hard from the people to live with it (I guess - having a clear and open to what possible means to come) . changing one’s life would not be hard as what everyone thinks. complications may arrive but the author think that it would not start a big havoc to the society nor could not also kill ones person (eventually). we live in this world for one life time only. so, lets just live it with full of surprise and happiness. as what the authors friend told him one afternoon, hey “ live your life to the fullest”. so, the author guess, why afraid of changes in life if this could lead you to a much better and simple life ahead.