Seeing the Rainbows

This afternoon as we headed east on the main road, Aub, who was riding shotgun, pointed out the front window to the right of the heavy storm clouds.  “Look!”

A rainbow.  So big and bright that you could see each individual color on that ROYGBIV spectrum.  Beautiful.

Breathtaking really.

My only regret is that I didn’t pull over right then.

The littles were able to see it after we turned and headed south.  They were excited and watched it until we got to our destination a few minutes later.

As the busyness of getting our Princess where she needed to be ensued, the rainbow was quickly forgotten.  Until I saw two little girls running over to where they could see it, pointing and jumping up and down with excitement.

Jumping up and down over a rainbow.

For the love.

A few minutes later we settled in to our seats to wait on our Princess to finish her practice, and I looked up at the sky.

Rainbow gone.

Ah.  Well. It had been lovely.  No rainbow lasts forever I suppose.

The thing that made me sad was that the sky was unchanged.  If you hadn’t known about the rainbow from a few minutes ago, you wouldn’t see anything that would let you know it had been there at all.

How many folks just continued on their way, never noticing the beauty in that Promise spanning across the sky?

And how many of us pass by someone in their shining moment, never noticing what it is taking for them to step outside their comfort zone and say hello, smile at a stranger, draw a picture, write a short story, sing a melody that touches their heart…..AND SHINE?

How many of us don’t see the rainbows in the eyes and hearts of those around us each and every day?

*raises hand*  I know I’m right up there with so many.  I get all wrapped up in my woulda coulda shouldas and my to do’s and tunnel vision kicks in.

And I am missing so many rainbows.  Right there in front of me.

That makes me want to cry.

Summer is here.  We’ve wrapped up school, for a few weeks anyway.  I so want this to be our summer of rainbows.  For this one tonight to just be the beginning.  I want to keep my eyes and my heart open so I don’t miss the joy and the fun and the laughter that is in the hearts of those I love.  And those we meet in our day to days.  And every time I see one, I want to jump up and down with excitement!

And one more thought before I call it a night–

How many of us look in the mirror and fail to see the beautiful rainbow spirit that lives inside that person we are looking at?  How many of us fail to see the beauty and strength and inspiring person who lives inside our own skin? (Yes, I’m talking to you, sweet one.  Right now, stop and go look in the mirror, and see the beauty there that the rest of us see–inside and out–you lovely amalgam of color and thought and emotions.  Now tell yourself how beautiful you are.  And recognize it within.  All the good you do in this world.  Yes.  That right there.  Thank you.)

May we all spend a day of seeing the rainbows that usually go unnoticed.  In others.  And ourselves.

Love to all.