I’ve written posts about colors I love—yellow, green, and blue (my favorite)—but Valentine’s Day makes me think about red and I find myself torn. It has never been a favorite color and I rarely wear it. Maybe your wardrobe is highlighted with bursts of red and it’s your first choice for lips and nails or neckties. Just for fun, meander with me and then let me know how you feel about red.

For me, red screams. I think of red stop signs and traffic lights and the red flashes that pull me over if I ignore either. I think of red corrections scribbled on my writing or of “being in the red” when I neglect to balance my account. And I think of the red Empty light which is so disappointing when I’m eager to get someplace and don’t want to stop for gas. Or the red warning lights that hiss “Check Engine” or some other unwelcome message.

I do confess that I choose a team to root for by the color of their uniforms—I know you sports fans are cringing. That being said, I never cheer for a team wearing red, just like I would never buy a red car.

But…

I view the glorious red streaks in a sunset and my breath catches. I spontaneously smile when I see bright red cardinals punctuating the grey collage of branches outside my window or the red caps on the heads of woodpeckers tapping the trees in search of food.

And speaking of food, who can resist a ripe red strawberry, crisp red apple, tasty red Jersey tomato, or a juicy red watermelon? I love red peppers in my salad along with red radishes. And how much delight is there in lifting the lid of a pot of simmering red spaghetti sauce?  

I have a passion for holly bushes and thrill at the red berries set against shiny green leaves and the winterberry holly plant that’s mostly berries with few leaves. Which makes me think of Christmas décor with its cheerful pops of red. I tried to transition to burgundy but soon defaulted to “Christmas red,” which leads us to other holidays celebrated with red.

Patriotic holidays entice me to add red accents to my outfit. The red, white, and blue color scheme stirs my heart and lifts my mood. Around Memorial Day, I appreciate freshly planted red impatiens alternating with white in a garden border.

And then there’s tomorrow, Valentine’s Day, awash in red. There’s something to be said for perky red carnations and the velvet soft petals of red roses. I grow nostalgic remembering days gone by when I created cards with red paper doilies and cut out red construction paper hearts. I fondly remember my father giving me a small, red, heart-shaped box of chocolates every Valentine’s Day.

So, tell me…

How do you feel about red?