A Color of His Own

     I have a new favorite activity: finding children's books with meaningful messages.  The simplicity authors use and bright illustrations spread across the page draw me in in a way no scholarly article, witty opinion or popular movement could.  Why is this so, I've asked myself.  What magic does children's books possess?  I come back again and again to a single idea: simplicity.  In the world of children, few things are over-thought; instead, reality comes in a kindly blunt way.  I've experienced similar emotional responses when I take pictures of nature.  While trying to find an astounding angle to capture a leaf or ripple on the water, I'm calmed, excited, amazed and challenged by the beauty of things we often consider "every-day", dull objects or ideas.  

    OK, now I'm rambling :)  Let me get to the point.

    My sister and I visited our local library last week, and I took the opportunity to search through the children's section.  My eye caught on a book read to me years ago: A Color of His Own, by Leo Lionni.  Remembering the general idea but not specifics of the plot, I checked out the book and raced home to  read it.  Let me share the story in my own words with you.

    One day, a certain chameleon became frustrated with his lack of a color unique to himself.  He saw parrots remaining green, elephants remaining grey and tigers staying striped.  However, the chameleon became whatever shade surround him: purple, yellow, blue... Finally fed up with his reality, the chameleon vowed to remain on a green leaf for the rest of his life and claim green as his own color.

    Unfortunately for the chameleon, autumn came along and the leaf turned red, the chameleon changing shades with it.  Then the leaf became brown, taking the chameleon into a new color, before dropping to the ground.  The chameleon and his dreams tumbled down as well, into the black night of winter.  

    Come spring, the chameleon found another of his kind.  He complained to this peer, asking if they would ever have a color of their own.  After thinking this over, the other chameleon responded, "I'm afraid not.  But, why don't we stay together?  We will still change color wherever we go, but you and I will always be alike."  

    Thus, the story concludes with two smiling chameleons standing next to, on top of or behind each other in various colors throughout their land!

    Other than the fact that countries where chameleons live don't experience leaves changing color in autumn, I appreciate the truths Lionni weaves through his text.  Below I share the specific areas which speak to me in my current journey; however, I encourage you to get your hands on A Color of His Own yourself and find messages that touch your heart.

Mr. Chameleon was still changing colors at the end of the story, even going through the same list of shades!  The chameleon's "problem" had not been solved- it never needed solving; it was an inherent part of his nature.  Instead, the chameleon's perspective changed.  Due to wise advice, he learned to see change as his reality, not an enemy out to sap his soul.  Perspective is SO important!  Literally your entire life can change with a shift in perspective- this is a scientifically proven fact.  Maybe it's viewing your life as an opportunity provided specifically for you with thousands of wonderful things to give thanks for.  Or perhaps looking at a challenge as a door to growth.  Changing the perspective in essence changes your reality.

Falling down hurts, it leaves wounds which scar, it comes unexpectedly, and it often causes embarrassment.  Nevertheless, sometimes we need to fall to get a reality check.  For example, the chameleon in A Color of His Own needed to fall from his leaf to realize his unattainable, unrealistic dream kept him from accepting the reality of his life.  As much as I hate falling down (in figurative or literal sense)- and I'm sure you dislike it as well- maybe we benefit from these collapses.  Because we must stand up again, which requires grabbing onto that which can support us.

Throughout purple, yellow, red, green and polka dots, Mr. chameleon stayed the same.  Not in hue, but in essence.  Us readers realize this fact without even consciously recognizing it.  Despite changes in opinion, lifestyle, friends, or emotions... you too remain the same.  Not in the details adding up to make your current reality, but in your essence.  This season shall pass, yet your soul will come through it.

No matter how hard this might be to believe right now, your herd exists!  It does.  A friend or several who experience similar scenarios to your own, believe the same truths or share your passions.  As a missionary kid, I felt lonely in a peer sense throughout most of my childhood; yet during my later teen years, I've found other missionary kids who make me feel a wonderful belonging that fuels my soul.  It's taken time to find these friends.  Similarly, it took the chameleon in Lionni's book many pages to find his friend, another chameleon who had learned to live with their state of change and helped the first chameleon embrace their nature as well.  Remember: you deserve a wonderful friend, and he/she is out there, even if it takes years to find them.

The chameleon struggled with his ever changing color only because he compared himself to his unchanging counterparts: parrots, elephants and felines.  However, the chameleon overlooked the fact that his different nature allowed him unique experiences.  He could empathize with various states, explore at a deeper level and share something incredibly unique with his chameleon friend.  You, too, possess your own quirks which allow you to relate to others and experience the world in a wonderfully unique way!

Your journey never, ever, ever removes from your true identity.  Instead, your life story builds, adds to and clarifies your authentic self.  Through hard days, you'll find yourself forced to cling to your values.  In good times, you'll experience freedom to pursue your passions.  Similarly, the chameleon needed to experience his doubts to truly lean into the priceless company of his friend and appreciate his color-changing nature.

Mr. Chameleon tried to copy the popular identity he saw on many animals around him: one consistent color.  However, trying to be someone else eventually failed and dropped the chameleon into his darkest days.  In a nutshell, trying to be someone else never, ever serves you!  Be yourself.  Be flashy.  Be subtle.  Be colorful.  Be classy.  Be loud.  Be observant.  Be crazy.  Be quirky.  Be expressionistic.  Break the standard, do things your own way, make a new path.

Maybe the chameleon Lionni wrote about tried to escape his color-shifting nature because he feared the change that accompanied every shift.  Constantly he needed to adjust to life in a different hue, learn new ropes and make a new normal.  However, at the conclusion of the book the chameleon began to embrace this shifting nature.  Why?  Because he faced changes with a trusted counterpart.  Change is scary, but much less frightening when faced with a fellow warrior.