Rainbow of Miracles

Over the past month or so I have seen a number of rainbows. There was a double rainbow the day I said a final goodbye to my mother-in-law, a perfectly arched rainbow on the day of my last CT scan, and a few small rainbows in between. Each rainbow I saw brought me a sense of peace that is sometimes hard to find. To me a rainbow in and of itself is a miracle, which got me thinking that tiny miracles can be found in each color.

The first color of the rainbow is bold and brilliant. In the form of paint, red makes a grand statement (and used to be one of my favorite colors to paint with). However, it is also one of the most expensive paints you can buy, due to the pigments used to make it. In fact, the question has been posed as to whether or not Picasso’s blue period was from depression or from lack of funds to purchase different color paints. Hmmm…

Orange can be found in the wings of monarch butterflies. Such delicate creatures, yet they migrate from Canada to Mexico and back each year, indicating an underlying strength. I was fortunate enough to witness their migration one year when I lived in the San Francisco Bay Area. It was amazing to see butterflies flutter across the playground where I was teaching. Definitely a moment etched in my mind.

The sun’s bright yellow rays warm the earth making life possible. They feed the plants that provide oxygen and give us the miracle of the color green. Upon visiting a forest or tropical region, the vitality of an area can be easily identified by the amount of green present. A blanket of green showcases a thriving area (or hides Sasquatch according to my mom).

Every time I look into my son’s lovely blue eyes I think about the miracle of life. He came to us after years of trying to conceive and is truly our rainbow baby. Sometimes when I look at him I cannot believe that he is real or that I am lucky enough to be his mom.

There are five full, big bushes in front of my house. Several times a year they bloom with vivid purple flowers. It is remarkable to me that they not only survive, but thrive in a desert climate. Not to mention that I appreciate the break from the brown that surrounds us. Brown dirt, brown fences, brown houses…sigh, so much brown.

I hope the next time you see a rainbow your reminded of the tiny miracles that surround us. It is so easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of life forgetting to live in the moment. Here’s to taking the time to be present.

Well, I see trees of green and red roses too
I’ll watch them bloom for me and you
And I think to myself
What a wonderful world ~E.Y. Harburg / Harold Arlen