Kindness can be represented by the colors pink and green.
Pink is a gentle, tender color associated with the feminine. While red is a passionate, strong, hard form of passion, pink is a gentle passion that we consider to be kind rather than aggressive.
Green, on the other hand, symbolizes kindness because it is associated with nature, rebirth, and escape from the cruel grey world of man.
Pink As A Color Of Kindness
Pink is considered a feminine color, and as such, has been associated with softer emotions and values such as love, care, empathy, compassion, nurturing, and kindness.
It is also the color of romance, but more on the tender side, and is not as passionate or sexual as what red would convey.
In some ways, pink can be considered as the toned down version of red. It is created by mixing white with red.
Paler pink shades have more white mixed in, while darker shades have more of the red tint. Because of this, pink does not carry the fiery passion or strong aggression of red as it has been tempered by the purity and simplicity of white.
Instead, pink has a calming and soothing effect, especially upon initial exposure.
According to psychologists, pink has the ability to subdue an angry person, or influence someone to be more compliant and less forceful.
This is why some prisons have used this shade for the uniforms of its inmates. But they also warn that prolonged exposure can sometimes have the opposite effect.
The perception of pink as a feminine color is mostly observed in Western cultures. In some Eastern cultures, such as Japan, it is actually considered a masculine color.
When it comes to love, it stands for the gentle, nurturing type, such as the love for family, parents, and close friends.
Due to its nurturing characteristic, pink is quite a popular choice for professions involved with taking care of other people. Many nurses, teachers, and child care professionals use different shades of pink in their uniforms.
Over the years, this shade has also become association with political and social movements such as gay rights and breast cancer awareness. It is also a popular color among the younger generation as they see it as a representation of gender fluidity, and use it to stand against conservatism.
Around the world, several symbols that use pink have represented movements and discussions towards acceptance and supporting people through difficult situations. Some of these are:
- Pink ribbon for breast cancer awareness
- Pink triangle as a representation of gay pride or gay activism
- Pink Venus sign to celebrate femininity or girl power
In the language of jewelry, pink also represents compassion, kindness, and affection:
- Rose Quartz stands for universal love, healing, and empathy
- Pink sapphire indicates trust, tenderness, and devotion
- Rhodolite garnet signifies kindness, spiritual growth, and self-love
- Pink Topaz means eternal love and devotion
- Pink Opal stands for kindness, emotional recovery, and compassion
- Pink Tourmaline also indicates self-love, emotional strength, and empathy
- Pink Smithsonite speaks of forgiveness, compassion, healing, and moving on from the past
Green As A Color Of Kindness
It could be said that plants are the epitome of kindness. They keep on giving and supporting life by providing food and shelter for all living things without expecting anything in return.
As the representation of most plant life, green also reflects this kind, generous, and giving nature. Aside from this, green stands for abundance, growth, fertility, rebirth, and prosperity as well.
Green is a cool color that is very pleasing to the eye. It makes one feel relaxed, nurtured, and secure. Being surrounded by green elements can reduce fatigue and stress, which is why people who are feeling overworked are often advice to take a quick walk in nature.
In the color spectrum, green sits right in the middle, thus it serves as the bridge between warm and cool colors. It balances the effects of both hues, giving off a harmonious and serene vibe. This is one of the reasons why green makes people feel safe and comfortable.
Since it is one of the dominant colors of nature, green makes one think of growth, abundance, and generosity. After all, it is the color of the leaves that produce sustenance for plants.
The color also signals rebirth and renewal, just like the repeating cycle of leaves drying up, then growing again season after season.
Evolution is another reason why people feel comfortable in green. Before living in concrete cities, people used to build houses in the middle of forests where they are surrounded by nature.
Aside from being their dwelling place, the trees also supplied fruits for their meals. Until now, people associate green with the assurance that their daily needs will be provided for, thus they feel relaxed and secure.
In recent years, there have been correlations between kindness and green movements.
A green movement refers to campaigns and conversations that aim at protecting nature and the environment. According to proponents of this concept, people can save both the environment while helping others by reducing and recycling waste.
This partnership has been dubbed as the “Kindness economy”, where everyone is encouraged to give their items to others as gifts or donations instead of throwing them away.
This can range from basic supplies such as clothing, footwear, bedding, and toiletries to non-essential but helpful items like books, toys, and art.
FAQ: What do we Mean by Kindness?
Kindness is expressed through different ways, but they are all characterized by a common theme, and that is concern for others and for oneself.
Acts of kindness do not expect to be reciprocated, because the only intention behind them is to help improve other people’s lives.
While kindness is fundamentally a type of behavior, thus it involves choice, it is also somewhat related to human nature. Humans are social beings and part of socialization is showing concern and consideration for other people. In a sense, it can be considered an interpersonal skill.
Acts of kindness have also been observed to be beneficial to the person himself, as it can lead to long term satisfaction and well-being. It has even been identified as one of the keys to a successful marriage.
There are many ways of showing kindness, it does not always have to be a material or physical assistance to someone else. Simple things like saying thank you, offering a smile, giving compliments, or sharing in another person’s successes can all be considered as acts of kindness.
Conclusion
Kindness is a behavior that translates into activities that aim at helping others. This behavior involves making a choice of sharing one’s self without expecting anything in return. There is also the type of kindness that is directed at the self. It is a form of self-love, of making one’s health, well-being, and safety a priority.
k and green are the best representations of kindness. Pink stands for tender and nurturing love, directed towards others and towards oneself. Green, on the other hand, signifies the giving and generous type of kindness, the sort that always aims to help others have better lives.
I’m Chris and I run this website – a resource about symbolism, metaphors, idioms, and a whole lot more! Thanks for dropping by.