Tester Pot People

A little musing about people and paint

A few weeks ago, I bought three tester pots in shades of green.

Time for a change.

All three had looked appealing in the DIY store. They had fancy names to showcase their qualities, sell me a dream.

One was fresh, another more classic, the third, somewhat soothing.

Like a trio of fairy godmothers, each whispered its own tender promise from the shelf, hopeful to be taken home.

“I will brighten”

Said the first.

“I will add interest”

Said the second.

“I will balance and soften”

Said the third.

Hm…….Would they though? What would they look like in the conditions of my old tumbledown cottage with its uneven walls and touches of damp?

I wanted to see them in both best and worst light.

I wanted to see how they looked when rays wended in leisurely through the window. How would they play with the darting sunbeams?

I wanted to see how they fared on a really dreary day. Would they help or hinder? Lift or drag?

I daubed them on the living room wall in various places and waited.

For night and for day.

For sunshine and for rain.

For…….life.

A few days later, I realised I just wasn’t feeling it with any of them. They had looked good in the store but none were right.

Green, just wasn’t a good fit.

I returned to the store, took home some yellows and patiently repeated the process before finally plumping for a warm saffron.

A friend admitted to me recently that she’d never bought a single tester pot in her entire life. She just chose something that seemed okay and cracked on slapping it on. I was surprised.

Because to me, paints are like people.

They display one thing on the ‘tin’ but it’s not until we see them in a range of conditions that we know the full extent of their colour.

Their depth and sheen.

Their ability to endure and reflect.

The way they complement or clash with what’s already there.

It’s only then, after observing this that we can make an informed judgement on whether they are right for us. A true match.

Our hearts are like homes but the cost is much greater if we get it wrong. We could go all out for what we think is a calming blue, only for it to have cold, mean undertones we never considered.

Obviously it’s impractical to go on and on, trying and scrutinising, but we owe it to ourselves to be a little discerning before we commit to going all out.

It’s the same with people we let into our lives.

Some mistakes can take a lot of painting over.

They may stain and seep through whatever comes next.

They may resist removal.

They may make you feel ill.

But sometimes, just sometimes, we stumble on that perfect fit, the colour that holds up under every imaginable light.

The one that transforms, that draws in the sun, cheers our darkest corners. The one we think;

“Now I could DEFINITELY live with that….”

When you find that one, be sure to stock up, before someone else does.

It’s sure to be popular.