In the extensive spectrum of hues that paint my world, there is one color that stands out to me in particular: green. It’s not just a color, it’s an expression of me and the most beautiful things in our world. From the luscious plants we find everywhere we go to a gorgeous piece of jewelry, I can find green in every aspect of my life. Throughout my life, I have been able to explore the deep-rooted connection that I have with this captivating color.

My grandpa gave me a ring one time. It was a casual Tuesday night and I was visiting my grandpa at his home in a tiny neighborhood in the middle of a lot of people and chaos. After we finished our dinner of Polish sausage and pierogies– a family classic– my grandpa took me back into the room that used to be my grandma’s. She had passed away just a couple of years before due to Alzheimer's. From what I remember of my grandma, she was always sophisticated and wore nice clothing and jewelry. Little did I know that she had a plethora of jewelry left over– even after her daughter, my aunt, went through and took much of it. I remember my grandpa saying, “You’re free to take whatever you want from this drawer– but I have one special piece just for you”. I hadn’t noticed it before, but on the dresser, there was a beautiful, forest-green jewelry box. My grandpa picked it up, opened it, and I instantly thought that I had a radiating glow on my face coming from the box like a spotlight. It is absolutely gorgeous. It was hard to express my emotions to my grandpa– the way the band bent in the front, securing a small diamond and a beautiful emerald, truly attracted me. This ring changed my life forever– I wear it every single day. It may be a small something to someone; but to me, it’s the little things that matter. It started my affection for green and allows me to carry a piece of my endearing grandma everywhere I go. 

Another “green” thing happened at one of the best times of my life. I was hiking through the towering mountains of Colorado with my family. We had been there for five days and it was our final day of hiking. Even though the glossy lakes, energetic wildlife, deep-blue sky, and snow-capped mountains were all astounding, I could only focus on the green trees and plants around us. On this day, my insane family decided to hike a 22-mile hike. I started to give up, but just as I was wishing to take off my shoes and get into a warm, soothing shower, we came upon a rise. It overlooked a massive valley where we could see lakes of glass surrounded by tremulous trees shaking in the wind. This is the most breathtaking thing I have ever seen in my life. I wanted to cry trying to cope with the overwhelming beauty of the scenery. To make everything better, as we were approaching our car after the long hike, I looked down and realized that I was wearing a green t-shirt.

Many more “green” things have happened in my life since these. However, a small one that still sticks with me is a music album. Music has always been one of my favorite things. I grew up in a household where it was never silent. Whether there was 60's-90's classics, jazz, Margaritaville, early 2000's, or any other type of music, it was never silent. Since I’ve grown up, I’ve figured out the artists and genres of music that I like the most. In 2022, I discovered Noah Kahan. I loved his music from the first time I heard “Stick Season”. I heard it for the first time in November of 2022. However, after looking into more of his music, I found out that he released the entire Stick Season album on my birthday– October 14, 2022. How ironic is that? I think about it to this day. Even more so, the album cover, CD, etc. are green. As silly as it seems, this album spoke to me and helped me discover more about myself.

Someone’s favorite color is a small, insignificant idea to most people. However, these are the stories that make up my identity. I don’t know if they are coincidences with my life and the color green– but each story, as well as the many others that I have, matters greatly to me. They reflect me as a person– what I love, enjoy doing, and much more. Green is a kaleidoscope of moods, memories, inspirations, and much more. As I continue to live, I create more stories and grow the significance of green in my life.