Rainbow of Dreams

Rainbows have always left a lasting impression on people; partly because they appear either in the midst of a rainstorm or immediately after. Children like them because of the pot-o-gold reference. Adults remember the pot-o-gold stories and perhaps create analogies between rainstorms and life storms. It’s nice to think that beauty and awe can appear in the midst of difficulties.

On a recent autumn trip to our home-away-from-home; Little Traverse Bay, my daughter and I were inspired by a beautiful rainbow that extended across the bay during a grey and drizzly autumn morning. The inspiration was not limited to us. Numerous cars could be seen pulling off to the side of the road. Drivers and passengers emerged, cameras in hands. Like the once big-league baseball players emerging from the cornfield of death, built by Kevin Costner in “Field of Dreams”, we all seemed to be emerging from our trance-like states of existence and walking toward a photographic vantage point; eyes fixed on the enthralling sight before us. Cameras were being raised and focused to capture this seemingly spiritual moment. As if stopping to “smell the roses”, we recognized this as a moment to stop and “capture the awe”.

It extended across the entire bay and, as are most rainbows, its colors extended across the spectrum. But as we stared, focused our cameras and captured the moment, we realized that something else was happening that most of us had never seen before. The rainbow was moving. Another round of rainstorms followed behind the rainbow and was pushing it toward the bay. Not being meteorologists, we were uncertain if this was the normal activity of a rainbow. We were however, certain that we had never witnessed this before. As we stood in wonder, we observed the deep blue and stormy sky immediately behind the rainbow, seemingly moving the spectrum of color toward us. Under its arch, the sky looked clear. Would it continue moving? Would the colors pass over us and be seen around us? Could we observe it, or could it only be seen by others physically distant to the event. When later described to friends and family, they jokingly asked us if we were experiencing some drug-induced state (knowing all-too-well of our healthy life choices). The sight is etched forever in our minds. We could not help but wonder if “life rainbows” - events worth celebrating - are around us at all times, but are typically only observed by others who are distant from our life experiences.