Rain, Rain

Storm clouds gather and hover near the earth. The sky darkens and shade deepens. I do not sense the dim. I feel the refreshing wind brush against my cheek and I smile.

As I get in my car and start to drive, blue sky appears and a rainbow cheers my heart. I wonder if the end of the rainbow rests right on my three beautiful children. I can't see where the end of the rainbow is, but I know that literally and symbolically, there is no end to the rainbow. The rainbow is a piece of beauty to be enjoyed from every angle. It doesn't belong to one person or one place. It is relative to who and where you are. I smile again.

I talk for two hours with a friend. As I unburden myself, the skies open and drop their burden downward. I am cleansed with renewed hope, and the earth is cleansed, too.

The storms will pass and I will mourn. They do not bring darkness or discomfort to me. They bring a reminder of the cycles of life. We are lifted. We fall. Life is dark. There are rainbows. And through it all, we can be cleansed and start again, fresh and full of hope.

I look to the heavens and whisper, "Thank you" ... with a smile.