Welcome to Red Nation

I've applied for citizenship to the nation of Red; I am a visual refugee. From the shackles of grey, black and brown to the freedom of red. God almighty, I am free at last. For much of my life I've been quite disdainful and suspicious of the people of Red. But now I am asking for asylum.

In my youth, I did wear red lipstick but mostly I have shied away from the color red. On New Year's Eve, I do allow myself the decadence of red fingernail polish. But except for a lonely pair of red underwear, I can safely say for as long as I can remember, I have not owned a single article of red clothing. Red was too vocal for me and carried much too much drama. Take Wikipedia which says that "red is frequently used as a symbol of guilt, sin and anger, often as connected with blood or sex." Exactly.

And as I travel through Red, I do worry that I do not have the personality to carry off a color that people either hate or love, a color that makes your heart beat faster. I think, can I really wear red lipstick and not look like a clown? (GirlyNation.com has a wonderful guide on which shade of red lipstick works for which skin tone.) Am I being too bold, too sexual, which will scare off men? I do smile at that one.

The Chinese equate red with happiness and good luck. To them, it symbolizes dignity and mystery. To me, red is about arriving. Maybe a little anger. But mostly saying its okay to be in the room and it's okay to be noticed. As I acquaint myself with the customs of my adopted country, and learn the language, I'm certain I'll make a few missteps along the way. But that's okay because I know I am finally home.