A Yurble stole my cinnamon roll! Circulation: 179,112,207 Issue: 439 | 16th day of Eating, Y12
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Celebrating Grey Day


by spleniferous_k

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Grey tea, grey faerie, grey negg, grey chair, grey doughnut, grey pizza slice; grey is not an uncommon color around Neopia. Grey is a fairly prevalent color, actually. We see it in the stones of Brightvale and the dust of Kreludor; we purchase grey fuzzles for our children and feed our families grey scorchipeppers.

But why would we want to set aside a whole day each year to celebrate such a dreary, dismal color? Why not celebrate red or green instead? There is a Faerie Festival during which we celebrate all of the faeries, and an Illusen Day when we celebrate Illusen in particular, as well as a Jhudora Day and a Fyora Day, but there is no Grey Faerie Day. Have you ever thought about the reason we celebrate Illusen but not Baelia? Illusen is springy, kind, and fills Neopians with hope and cheer. When we see Illusen flying about, giving out neggs and quests, we see hope and happiness. When we see the Grey Faerie sitting crying somewhere, we see grief and pain. Baelia is dreary, dispiriting, and depressing, as is her color, grey. We see the Grey Faerie’s sadness as having to do with her grey color, and we forget about all of the pain that she went through having her wings broken, and being held captive in a cage, bound by her own name.

Despite the negativity associated with it, someone big and important has deemed the color grey significant enough to create twenty-seven grey items, and to dedicate an entire day to the color. That’s one three-hundred-sixty-fifth of the entire year! So why is grey so important, and how should we celebrate it?

Grey is really more than just a color. In reality, the most important aspect of grey is not its pigment at all, but the ideas behind it. Grey is a philosophy, a viewpoint, an outlook on life and the situations in it. Grey is a middle ground, somewhere in between white and black, this or that. Grey is the idea that a person doesn’t always have to fall one-hundred percent into one category, but can be a unique in-between. Grey is what allows every Neopian to be different, and without it everyone would have to be either white or black. We all think of grey as a depressing color, but really it removes much of the monotony that just white and black alone would create. Without any middle ground, we would only have two options. In color, that means boring. In other situations, that means oppression and a lack of freedom to really form an opinion. Grey is liberating, and allows every Neopian to be himself and find a comfortable happy medium in all situations.

Beyond just an in-between state, the color grey also represents variety and possibility, and the potential to get much from little. Rather than the hopelessness that is usually associated with it, grey is actually quite an inspiring color. There are 256 shades of grey in a common grayscale, all made from only two colors: white and black. We always categorize the color grey as boring, sad, hopeless, disheartening, when really it is a color of possibility. The color grey represents the idea that anything is possible, and everyone is unique. From very limited resources, much can be produced.

So now that we have established that grey is indeed a color worth celebrating, the only question that remains is how do we go about doing that? While yes, grey is a happy color that represents possibility and individuality, walking into a party where everything is grey doesn’t scream “CELEBRATION” to most Neopians. In reality, it is the idea of grey and not its actual pigment that is so hopeful. So perhaps the best way to celebrate grey this fourteenth day of the month of eating is to not wear, consume, or use the actual color grey at all!

Maybe this year on Grey Day we should all sport the brightest colors we can find, and celebrate the ideas that the color represents. Throw a party with all of your friends and neighbors, and wear the wildest, craziest, most colorful and unique costumes you can find. Have a potluck dinner where everyone brings a dish from a different part of the world. The idea behind the color grey couldn’t be better represented by one big table boasting a skeith sundae, a faerie beetroot, and a bargasaurus steak all at one time, in perfect harmony.

Now, that’s not to say that you shouldn’t show your appreciation for the color as well. Doubtless there will be new grey items. Perhaps some species such as the Skeith or the Lenny will be able to show their appreciation for the color like many other species already can, by using the grey paint brush. Maybe new grey foods will show up alongside the grey turnips and hot dogs already sold in parts of the globe. There is absolutely nothing wrong with eating a slice of grey pizza or playing with a cute little grey fuzzle. These are all wonderful activities, on any day of the year, especially a holiday dedicated to the color grey. Beware, though, of letting a sea of grey surroundings wipe out the mood for the day. Washing out color should not mean washing out emotion, and the day should be as vibrant and happy as any other day in the year. The most important thing is to find a celebration that is right for you. (Here’s that individuality idea again!) You have to find something that represents the ideas to you, doesn’t detract from the happiness of the day, and also that shows that grey is wonderful, in both its pigment and the ideas behind it.

There are 256 shades of grey; there are even more ways than that to incorporate some of its valuable ideas into your life, and celebrate hope, possibility, and uniqueness. Each Neopian is different, and each Neopian should celebrate differently. This fourteenth day of the month of eating, show the world, what’s your shade of grey?

 
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