in the realm of brightly lit colours, orange is the friendliest. its a brash colour brought down to size. it can be bold but it can be friendly. it speaks loudly but its a pleasure to hear. orange can be a glow that hints of heat and fire- not a flame, not an explosion, but lasting warmth. it might be the embers left in the fire place. it might be the oak leaves changing.  it might be a bulging tree bud, just coming into spring. orange can be quiet and meditative, as in the soft drapes of Buddhist robes; soft, draped fabric hand dyed with a colour patiently drawn from the humble autumn crocus. in that quiet world, the orange of monks robes breathes fire and snaps the mind into focus, signifying the souls deepest centre, the vortex within. orange whispers at beginnings, as the dawns light spreads the days promise before the sun appears. its the shade of things yet to come. and orange marks the days end as well, as echoes of daylight infuse the western sky, then melt into darkness. its an autumnal hue in shades of ripeness as the world grows colder. we count on orange globes- citrus, squashes, pumpkins, to nourish us as the world grows colder. but lets face it, orange can be outrageous. a room painted bright orange would be anything but restful. orange city streets, honking cars, flashing lights, hustle bustle.  orange cries out warning. orange points you to go another way. orange is warn by hunters who want to blaze out in sight of their comrades, distinguishable at a glance from the natural world in which they prowl. orange is the shock of hair on top of a true red head- uncommon, audacious, and fun. orange is a happy colour. it brings together all people of the world. if you only had one colour in which to paint them, you would choose orange. go light and you have paler faces; go dark and you reach the ebonies. in orange, all faces meet.