Have you ever stopped to consider the importance of colour in our lives? It is one thing we all take for granted but can you imagine a world without colour, a grey sort of world with everything looking the same; How terrible that would be.

It is a fact that that sort of world would exist only in the mind of one who has lost his sight. To the majority who possess the gift of sight there is absolutely no way they can avoid encountering colour whether they talk about a mundane item as bread or politically sensitive issue as skin colour or race.

This may be the reason why the analogy made by the preacher who delivered the sermon in our local church confused my little boy. The priest stressed quite a few times that Almighty God who created heaven and earth in seven days and all there in, is colour-blind when showering his bountiful mercies on all those who believe in him.

Immediately the service was over I had to explain to the young lad that, infact, if God were colour blind he could not have made the beautiful butterfly, the colours of the rainbow and the zebra with those stripes.

I am, however, particularly struck by the range of colours that feature in everyday language which describe moods and emotions. In an advertisement entitled the "colourful life of an office dog's body" there is a vivid use of language describing the problems of an office worker. "Do friends with well-paid jobs make you green with envy", it asks, "is your boring job turning you grey or making you blue? Is your career a wash out? Are you thoroughly browned off?

As far as the caucasian race, is concerned, being blue with sadness, red with rage or embarrassment, green with envy, white with rage and grey with age can be easily explained away on a biological basis. On the other side of the coin, the colour black, for instance, appears to attract rather sinister, evil and mysterious emotions and situations.

I have been having sleepless nights over this issue why the colour black is so denigrated in the English language and a few particular colours are internationally exclusive to certain group of people or political entity.

I spoke to a psychologist friend, Dr. Peter Gabelich. He was impeccably dressed in a light blue suit and a red dotted tie.

"I would like to know why black is always associated with evil things? I'm worried sick. about it, "I said, wiping tears that had formed in the corner of my eyes with a white handkerchief. I was afraid I was going to break down and weep.

"Please don't cry and torture yourself this way. It doesn't help at all if you develop a complex over this".

"I haven't got a complex!"

"Yes you have. I tell you, I love black. In fact I think black is beautiful".

"Please, spare me the platitudes and tell me why, for heaven's sake, there is no blue or greenmail but rather blackmail, blacksheep, blackleg, black market ..... you name it, if it's black, it's got to be something horrible." I said gritting my teeth angrily.

"You have a point there, but, surely, you'll agree with me that substitution of other colours wouldn't sound right, would it? Can you imagine a "white market?"

"Not, quite" I replied, understanding suddenly dawned on me. "O.K, so why is the East red and Royal blood blue?"

"I can tell you that there is no value judgement attached to these particular colours but as for the East being red it's because most of the countries are bloody commies; that's why." Peter said, a thin bead of perspiration had formed on his forehead.

"Communists, yes I know, but why red."

"Because, my dear young man, the East or, better still communism arrived on the back of fury, violence and blood and the colour of blood, you know, is red.... you understand?", his face appeared flushed.

"Calm down, now you are getting excited. Does this explain why Chairman Mao Tse Tung's famous treatise on the Cultural Revolution is called the Little Red Book?"

"Precisely. It summed up the new revolutionary path of his regime which was communist and bloody red."

"I see. I didn't know that before," I nodded with understanding of the profound explanation that had just been given.

"You know why Colonel Gaddafi's revolutionary treatise is called The Green Book?, asked Peter.

"I thought you'll never come to that, I said, "why green?"

"Green symbolises new life - hence the beginnings of new things political or otherwise"

"How does the book fit into this?"

"Simple. It's a green-horn of a book in revolutionary terms and as far as revolutionary thoughts go. That's why it's described as green. Take, for instance, the theory of popular participation in democratic processes.........”

"Spare me the theoretical bit. Finally tell me why the Royalty is always blue - blood and not red like everybody's"

"Blue is sublime and conservative; The soothing effect of this celestial colour is universally accepted. Remember the divine right of Kings?..... Well, the rights have changed somewhat but the blue remains"

"I'm being educated, Peter I can't thank you enough. Now there is one contradiction I don't understand. Why are Royalty and dignitaries given the V.I.P treatment with no other colour but a carpet which is red? I asked.

"Where is the contradiction? I don't see any contradiction!". He had apparently seen red "There is no contradiction at all!"

"Oh, yes there is, if I ever saw one. Just as there is in the red and blue colour combination of your tie, that is, if your explanation is to hold."

"Is this a deliberate red herring?"

"No, it appears to me to be something like a red cloth before a bull!"