A few years ago, I went to the Getty to see an exhibit of artwork from a monastery (which I believe was near Egypt?). Amongst other things, the exhibit contained many tapestries woven together with thousands of different colored threads that depicted religious scenes and such.

Now with paints, we all know that the artist can mix different pigments to obtain new colors. The same is partially true of threads, although they are not directly mixed (obviously). When I examined a tapestry up close, I realized that two different colored threads running next to each other produce the effect of a third color when viewed from a distance, simply because our eyes cannot focus on the tiny variations from a distance.

So, take a yellow thread, for instance. At times, it runs alongside a blue thread, a red thread, a black thread, another yellow thread. Depending on the thread it is combined with, the overall effect changes. The blue and yellow threads blend to create an effect of green, while up close the two colors cause each other to stand out in contrast. The red and yellow are more sympathetic with each other, and add warmth to the overall scene. When black and yellow meet, the yellow shines bright and is unmistakable, even from afar. And two yellow threads will bolster each other into a band of gold.

We are like this of course, every one of us. There are certain aspects of other people that only we can draw out, and aspects that are drawn out of us only by certain people. At times we clash, at times we sympathize, at times we shine bright, at times we join together in strength. It is necessary to understand the ways that everyone around us brings about these aspects, to understand just how important relationships are. We may be individual people, with our own unique job to play, but from a distance, in the grand scheme of things, we are all part of something greater: a big picture woven by a true artist.

And think of this: it is not just for visual appeal that the threads are arranged the way they are. It is also for structural integrity. Remove just one thread and not only does the picture fade, but the tapestry falls apart as well.