Ever since I was a little girl my favorite color was orange. I had an orange bike. I only drank orange drinks like tang and crush. Reese’s peanut butter cup was my favorite candy bar, of course the orange wrapper. I always wanted my room painted orange, but my mother wouldn’t let me do it. I never really understood the reason. It was one of the few things that I expressed a liking for. I was completely outspoken when it came to this subject. As I grew older the orange was too loud and I became reserved regarding my love for orange. Loving orange as an adult was not “in style” or sophisticated. Since the seventies no one drove an orange car, or an orange bike, or an orange skateboard for that matter. I surrendered my personal taste to related, more mature colors such as clay and terracotta.

The other day an orange seventies model Corvette parked right next to me. I took in a deep breath and suddenly felt a rush of unrecognized chemicals. I felt a sense of excitement. This sense was coming over me and while I enjoyed it I couldn’t help the amazement. What was that? I kept asking myself. What did that color just do to me? I couldn’t shake the feeling that something different had just happened. I’m not crazy. The sight of that color changed the way I felt. What was it?

I searched high and low to find the answer. There has to be a logical or scientific explanation for the feeling that comes over me whenever I see that color. I found the psychology of color, color interpretation and some secondary schools of thought on the effects of color. Here is what I learned about the color orange.

There is no single English word that rhymes with orange.

The color orange stimulates activity, appetite and encourages socialization.

It is believed that lovers of orange are social creatures who get along with almost everyone.

People either hate or love the color orange. No neutral ground.

The fruit was named before the color, making the fruit the origin of the color’s name.

American Indians associate the color orange with kinship.

In China and Japan, orange is used to symbolize happiness.

Orange is representative of “gluttony” in Christianity.

There is a new work out phenomenon sweeping the nation known as “the orange theory”. The gym’s walls are painted orange and some of the equipment is orange. Most importantly the lights are orange. The color is supposed to enhance energy and make you work at your optimum level.

I knew the first time that I ever laid eyes on the color orange that there was something to it. When that Corvette pulled up next to me it reminded me of the feeling that I got as a kid. I would have written a poem about it, but nothing rhymes with it.

Orange you glad?