A Color of His Own

There is a children's book that is actually one of my all time favorites.  Don't laugh - I know I say that about a lot of books.  But I love books so just bear with me, please.  This one really is one of my favorites, not only to read to kids but to read to myself.

Leo Lionni is the author and he has an amazing way of writing for kids but with a message for adults, too!  At least I find a message for myself in his books.  I know, I know, what does that say about my mind?  Maybe I think like a kid - is that such a bad thing, really??  I don't think so.  Anyway... the book is called "A Color of His Own."  The main character is - of course - a chameleon.  The little chameleon is searching to find a color of his own -- for on a lemon he turned yellow, in the heather, he turned purple and on a tigers back, well, you get the drift.  The chameleon thought perhaps if he stayed on a green leaf he would remain green forever, but alas, what with the seasons and all, in autumn the leaf turned yellow and so did the chameleon, later the leaf turned to a blazing red and so did the chameleon.  Finally he meets another chameleon much older and wiser to whom he tells his sad tale.  The older and wiser chameleon has an idea - he explains that they will always change color but if they stay together they will always be alike.  And so they do.  They were green together and yellow together and purple together and red and white polka dot together.  And they lived happily ever after.

Aren't we all looking for a color, so to speak, of our own.  A place we fit.  A place we feel comfortable and accepted.  A thing to do that completes us.  While this little chameleon was searching and searching to find his own color, he was missing out on who he really was.  He was failing to accept himself - as is!  It wasn't until he met a supportive, understanding, accepting friend that the little chameleon was able to see that he didn't really need a color all his own, he could be happy and content in exactly who he was as long as he had a friend in his corner.  

I think what we have to realize is that we are each made exactly the way we are supposed to be.    God does not make mistakes.  We should always just be who we are.  But we can't be islands.  We need each other.  And likewise, we need to not only be the "accepted one"  but we need to be the "accepting one".  For in being accepted and accepting of others and ourselves we find happiness. 

"Two people are better than one, they can help each other in everything that they do."
                                                                                                                       Ecclesiastes 4:9