I think most of you on the Eastern Sho
re will agree that we’ve had more than our fair share of rainbows these past few months. We’ve seen singles, doubles, and a few triples that friends have shared on Facebook. Science tells us that a rainbow is a refraction of light. Whatever that is.
There are superstitions that come with rainbows, like the pot of gold at the end. It’s a source of wonder and excitement every time we see one. I’ve yet to see someone not stop and take note when the sky presents us with such an unexpected gift.
What is it about a rainbow that we can’t resist? They seem magical and to some degree, they are. The colors are so true and vibrant. We can see, but can’t touch. I remember seeing one last summer that seemed to travel with us down the highway, leading the way. The end of it was in the grass on the side of the road almost as if we could reach out and touch. Never did find that pot of gold…
My dearest childhood friend, Lynn, passed away six years ago and I was tapped to officiate at her service. Her favorite song was “What a Wonderful World,” a great rendition of “Over the Rainbow.” My grandchildren also performed it at Jeff’s celebration of life service. It’s a song that is filled with promise and hope, just like the rainbow. I have a little three year old niece that we call, “Rayne-Bo,” and it’s so fitting as she is filled with promise and hope and always brings a smile to my face.
Rainbows tell us that the storm is over. Yesterday, I was caught in a pretty bad onslaught of rain. When it was over, I knew there was a rainbow somewhere, I just couldn’t see it. Noah knew the rain had stopped when he saw the rainbow. God promised that when a rainbow was seen, it would remind him of His covenant/promise never to flood the entire earth again and to remind us that God keeps His promises. I choose to go with this scenario as opposed to the pot of gold.
Rainbows represent memories of hope, smiles, and dreams, of what is yet to be. Although every day won’t give us a rainbow, there’s always hope that it will.