Listen to the Song in the Audio ↑
The Story & Science Behind the Song ↓
In a world where there’s so much darkness to be found, this song and story affirm the colors all around. For the grumpy grey days and the bleak seasons of blah, may we all find the colors that keep us going strong.
Here’s more to the story (and the science) behind the song:
The Presents of Colors in Cuts & Cracks
The Story Behind the Song
My boobie had just been bitten by a bug when I arrived at the shore on my birthday -so I was a little irritated and itchy. Still, the moment I pulled up, a fish jumped right in front of me (about 7 times consecutively), each time reaching about a foot in the air and a couple feet in distance. I’d never seen anything like it.
Amazed and astonished by this birthday greeting from the ocean, my itchy boobie was no longer in focus as I put on my bathing suit and gathered my belongings.
“You’re not going swimming, are you?” I suddenly heard over the car door of my impromptu dressing room.
I looked up to find a sweet older woman looking at me. “You’re just going into the pools, right? You wouldn’t actually go in, would you? I wouldn’t want to worry about you” she said, sounding very much like my own grandmother would have (had she been a worrier).
“No worries at all.” I responded, with a smile. “Thanks for caring.”
It was the truth: I’d only been planning on dipping in. Even so, something in me always wants to do what I’m warned against. I wondered why she worried about me going for a swim, but I didn’t ask her that.
“Did you see the fish?” I asked, instead. “Did you see it jumping?”
She hadn’t. Still, I pointed to where it had flown, just in case it found its wings again.
The exchange was another gift from the place where the land meets the water: strangers who want the very best for each other.
Still, the day was grey as I walked to my special place.
Happy to find it unoccupied, I unloaded my gear and went straight into the water. The tide was high and the rocks were covered, slippery beneath my bare feet. Though I stepped carefully, I didn’t hesitate to walk into the waves crashing, or to submerge myself fully into the same pools that have held me every time that I’ve needed to be loved.
Immediately the boobie-bite burned, but I wasn’t bothered. The itch would be gone now, for sure.
Neck-deep in salt water, I watched the ocean from eye level as it reached out and retreated to the same rhythm of my own gratitude and longing. Somewhere out there the moon was waning, but all I could see was the muted light of the cloud-covered sun, who was, in fact, still shining.
As if my skin were thirsty, I soaked just long enough for the sea to seep into my soul, but not so long that my bones would cool. Though the scattered sun was warming, I wouldn’t have called it hot.
Still, I was marinated perfectly as I stepped out of the pool -and slipped slightly. It was just a quick sting, but it bled brightly -in the same salinity as the sea. Maybe the ocean was also thirsty for me.
I didn’t mind. I could still walk easily.
Even so, I returned to the sand to examine my injury. The cut was deep, but not worthy of worry. The day was still young, and the rain was still holding.
There was art to be made. The waves were singing.
It was then that I saw the pink poke out of the sand, like a kiss being blown from under the land. Black and white and grey all over, I was delighted to be sent a splash of color.
It was confirmed: there were still more presents to be discovered.
Giddily, I started searching for treasure, sinking my hands into the sand and letting it slip through my fingers like water made of land. There was much more color in these broken shells than it had seemed from afar: the discreet beauty found by telescopes to the stars.
Scouring the cracks of the shoreline, I picked up every piece of pink that I could find, like a heart that’d shattered but was ready to be mine. Under the surface and inside the cracks, each precious piece had something to add. Bit by bit my hands became full with just enough pieces to remake the puzzle: to find a new form and make a new shape; to start a new chapter and reform my fate.
Me and the sea shells, and the crashing of waves.
It was more than I could’ve asked for when a pink frame formed from the broken shells, with sturdy lines and solid color. It’s one thing to be given a picture, but to be framed in love is a true wonder.
Tickled by the gesture, I looked to the horizon where blue began adding to the surprises: the crest of the waves, the cracks in the clouds, the color that light brings when it wants to be found.
It all reminded me of the cosmos that I’d seen this summer, defiantly giving the asphalt some color. Brilliantly boasting straight from the street, I admired the audacity to bloom where it’s bleak.
All in all, the grey of my day affirmed the colors that come through when I live life from a closer view. From far away, what looks dismal actually contains tiny sprinkles -spots of simmering and pockets of light, all waiting to be found by loving eyes.
For years I’d dreaded this daunting day as if the sky were set to fall, so it would’ve been easy to get lost in all that I could’ve called wrong. But though there were plenty of reasons to complain, with you the gift remains. Like a hand that guides my eyes to the presents, you show me the gift of every moment.
So, instead of disintegrating into a heap of sad and sorry sagging skin (as I had imagined), instead I was grateful for all I’d been given. I was so overflowing that started singing. Never sure of what’ll escape my mouth, I was delighted with the song that I found.
With each word, the sea and sky spoke of all the darkness and all the hope.
Now, with every breath is a birth-
through cuts and cracks: a splash of color.
Thank you for finding me so faithfully.
Thank you for framing me so lovingly.
The Colors of Life
The Science Behind the Song
After a sweet day of surprise colors, I couldn’t help but to wonder:
Why does color come through the darkness when I look closer?
Why do I feel so much joy when I see color?
Unable to curb my curiosity, I went searching for answers. Thanks to modern technology and the many scientists who share my wonder, I did discover some fun facts about color. Though, at times, it feels daunting to over-explain my songs and stories, the science behind the song does give it an extra dose of meaning. So let’s nerd-out with some of these discoveries:
To start, for color-seeing species (like humans), color and light go together; the more light, the more color. In fact, color is light. This is because all light contains a spectrum of wavelengths, which are perceived as different colors. When the light hits an object, some of those wavelengths are absorbed by the object, while others are reflected. Different objects absorb and reflect different wavelengths, which we perceive as different colors1.
Evolutionarily speaking, life has developed colors as a form of communication and as an aid in understanding2. Colors warn of poison. They entice in mating. They help distinguish between young fruit, rotten fruit, and fruit that’s ripening. Even the colors of our faces express when we’re sick or angry. Every color has evolved purposefully.
That being said, color is perceived subjectively. Different species perceive colors uniquely. Dogs, for example, are dichromatic (which means that they see in only two colors: blue and yellow)3. Their limited vision, however, doesn’t inhibit their lives cuz they’ve also got superhero scent4 to guide.
Bees also see colors differently. Though, like humans, they’re trichromatic (meaning that they see in combinations of three colors), their sight is made of blue, green and ultraviolet light5 (rather than the good ‘ole red, blue, and green of human sight). But, again, the difference is purposeful. Many flowers, for example, evolved to create “landing strips” on their petals to help bees find their pollen. But those bullseye-lines aren’t painted in red -they’re ultraviolet. This means that humans can’t see them (which is inconsequential cuz we’re not a part of pollination).
Psychologically, color has been found to impact our mood, though the context of the color always matters. Blue, for example, has been found to have an overall calming effect (but on meat,6 it’s not so reassuring). Red, has been found to increase attention and performance, but can also be associated with failure and over-aggressiveness7. Yellow has been found to increase serotonin (the hormone connected to happiness and motivation8 ), but when it’s on a sick face, it’s not very positive.
All that to say: for humans (and other color-seers), color is not only a sign of life, but a uniquely designed compass for navigating it.
Still, color (like life) is light dependent. When there’s less light, less color can be reflected. For example, when clouds scatter the sun, the light is weaker, which creates grey, or muted colors. Or, when light is blocked, there’s much less color in the shadows.
That being said, dim light is not completely colorless (at least not from close-up). This is due to the “inverse square law9” which (plainly put) confirms that we can, indeed, see more light (and color) the closer we get to it. There’s even a mathematical equation to prove it. (If you wanna see something really neat about color and focus, check this out: When purple perceived only at fixation: a fixation and distance-dependent color illusion)
So there you have it. Though I could go on and on about the true nature of black10, or why the sky is blue11, I think this Young Sheldon has said enough to root the metaphor into something true.
The Reflective Colors & Craft of Peace
The Gift of the Song
Metaphorically, finding colors in the cracks has been a very purposeful and creative commitment for me.
It started ten years ago when I began sharing my approach to art (and to life) in what I’ve called The Living Mirror Project. By its simplest definition, this project is a practice of creative reflection that asks: What if life were a mirror? and How might I love it? The aim of this creative prompt is focused: to cultivate peace, within and all around.
The project initially came as a response to the pain and illness that snuck up on me after years of fighting for peace. Why was it that the more I fought for peace, the more I felt separated from the world around me?
Aware that something wasn’t lining up in the way that I fought for love, I began to look within by studying psychology12. In my studies, a few important discoveries became foundational to my creative practice of peace:
I started to see the importance of anything that we put on repeat: the words we use, the tones we listen to, the pictures we surround ourselves with -it all seeps into our foundations. Though, as a former school teacher, I understood how repetition is essential to learning and habit formation13, it was valuable for me to recognize the power of repetition more broadly: How do the things that we repeatedly create and ingest in our everyday lives shape our overall understanding of reality or truth14? How does this understanding impact how we feel about ourselves and others, how we’re motivated in life, and, ultimately, the choices that we make?
I began to understand the power of our stories. In both my personal experiences and my studies in therapy, so much peace has come from framing our memories with love and hope. For example, most (if not all) regression therapy15 that I’ve done (for myself and for others) has included helping the inner-child to see that their hurt is not a reflection of their worthiness of love, nor the existence of their power. The results have been consistently amazing: when I (and others) have told our tales with loving understanding for all the characters in our story, and in ways that preserve both our power and life’s possibilities, our lives have bloomed beautifully.
I began to understand the power of metaphor and symbol. Here, on a subconscious level, everything carries a story that each person has made through subconscious associations16. That being said, the meaning we find in life’s symbols and metaphors can change with time; as we grow in experiences and understanding, so does the meaning that we assign. With this in mind, I became committed to becoming aware of the unconscious associations and stories that I was telling of even the most mundane things around me. What was I projecting? How were my painful memories and misunderstandings painting the world around me? How could I see things more clearly? How could I find meaning that grew peace within and around me?
I started to recognize how all humans have within them an infinite source of love and wisdom. While we understand that source differently (some calling it our brain or our subconscious, some calling it God, or spirit or higher self -to name but a few), I have found one thing to be consistently true (for both myself and those I have served): the more we connect to (and trust) that Special Something within us, the more we become available to peace and love. Every time I (or my client) have been given the opportunity to connect with the wisdom and heart within, not only have we found it, but it strengthened -and with the strength of that connection, life and love blossomed.
With these four foundations, my practice of peace has continued to grow with science and creativity.
The scientific method has offered a model for self-questioning, identifying bias, and making new discoveries. Here, Earth sciences have had an especially powerful impact on me as I’ve found that the views of evolution and ecology naturally result in love and respect for everything. Within the interdependent and ever-evolving cycles of life, everything eventually finds a silver-lining and a purpose that’s worth celebrating. As such, every metaphor and symbol of our nature helps me to love and trust this life as a mirror.
Finally, creativity (which, for me, has come in the forms of song, story and poetry), brings it all together:
Rhythm, rhyme and melody unlock the reflections of the world around me. Mysteriously, when something rhymes, or when it has rhythm or melody, the abstract meaning and feeling of it come to life.
Writing gives me the power to shape my stories purposefully. If the way that I tell my tales impacts my life directly, then how can I craft my stories for the purpose of peace? How can I write each and every word as a reflection that affirms all of life’s infinite worth? How can I create stories that remind me of all of life’s possibilities?
The focus and repetition that’s inherent in the creative act (particularly in music) allow me to anchor affirmations and perspectives that support my empowerment and peace. Here, I’ve found no repetition more helpful than gratitude.17
The creative act connects me to the source of love and wisdom within. Every time I face a blank page I affirm my power to create. Whether that power comes from subconscious associations or divine inspiration, the creative act strengthens my connection to an innate source of love and wisdom. This connection empowers me to face life with faith that there’s always a way of grace.
All in all, The Living Mirror Project has been an incredible journey of creating trust in life, and love for everything-
It’s a craft that I’ve taken to heart: to find the colors in the dark.
I share it now (both in the art and the theory) as my gratitude and gift to the journey that we’re all on together: to find love and peace through all of life’s weather.
Thank you to everyone who has paved the path for me:
With all your art, your heart, your awe and wonder,
your unyielding commitment to care and discover,
even the darkest of cracks have revealed their color.
Check Out More From This Wonderful World:
Love Songs to Our Nature
It’s not always easy being human, but it sure does help to sing through it! In a mix of music, metaphor, and ecology, every song and story affirms the heart of our nature through all of life’s weather and wonders.
Love Notes to Our Nature
Every day I look to the world around me for reflections to keep my heart going. Check out these daily love notes here:
Know someone who could use a lift? Share this song with them 🕊️
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https://www.pa.uky.edu/sciworks/light/preview/color4aa.htm
https://evolution-outreach.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1007/s12052-008-0088-x#:~:text=The%20ability%20to%20see%20colors,color%20vision%20of%20animals%20evolved.
https://www.petmd.com/dog/general-health/what-colors-can-dogs-see#
https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/how-dogs-use-smell-to-perceive-the-world#:~:text=Unlike humans, dogs have an,have no odor at all.
https://www.coastsidelandtrust.org/our-blog/2020/5/23/how-bees-see#:~:text=And, although bees do use,a sophisticated “waggle dance.”
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4383146/
Ibid.
https://mybraindr.com/2025/01/31/mental-health-and-color-how-different-colors-can-improve-your-well-being/#:~:text=Yellow%2C%20as%20well%20as%20other,create%20a%20more%20positive%20outlook.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/inverse-square-law
https://www.britannica.com/video/colour-black-way-researchers-versions/-207765
https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/chemistry/rayleigh-scattering
I studied Depth and Humanistic Psycology in college. Later, I was certified as a hypnotherapist (and practiced for a short time, but ultimately found that the practitioner-client model wasn’t the right fit for me). More recently, I’ve been studying neuroscience and evolutionary psychology. While each of these approaches to psychology has offered valuable insights, each has also left me with big questions. I appreciate the human quest to lovingly understand ourselves from many different angles.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/378681505_The_Neuroscience_of_Habit_Formation
https://cognitiveresearchjournal.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s41235-021-00301-5
https://hypnotc.com/regression-hypnotherapy/
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/07357907.2023.2233317#:~:text=Signs%20represent%20characteristics%20of%20the,represents%20the%20study%20of%20semantics.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/comfort-of-gratitude/202009/gratitude-and-its-impact-on-the-brain-and-body
