Christmas Eve, 2015, my husband was discharged from the hospital. Our ride home that day was one I thought we wouldn’t have been taking. He was critically ill with congestive heart failure and had spent many days in the hospital this time. In the past his stays had been shorter, so I was fighting with the thought of him not coming home. I knew dwelling in this thought was not serving us, yet it was pulling me away from the joy of the moment that he really was coming home.
We live on Maui, and rainbows are a big deal here. They are even on our car license plates. The first rainbow I saw that day was from his hospital window. I had developed the practice of taking a deep breath every time I saw a rainbow, and that breath was essential in that moment.
As we started our half hour drive home, I saw another rainbow, a really big one, ahead of us. I commented on its beauty as I enjoyed another deep breath. As we continued our journey, rainbows continued to appear. They we all different shapes and sizes and appearing in totally different locations, so I knew I was seeing the same one just from different angles.
As we got close to home, we saw a giant rainbow and we could see it touching the ground in a vacant field. And I noticed the absence of a pot of gold. Right then I realized I was sitting in that pot of gold in my car with my husband beside me knowing that we were experiencing Christmas together. I counted nine rainbows that day.
Since then, I smile every time I see a rainbow, take that deep breath, and know that in that moment all is well.
We have been dealing with higher temperatures on Maui and a lack of rain. Rainbows also are absent in the sky and our verdant island is now brown. With the tragedy of all the wildfires, including the devastating Lahaina fire, we are on edge, wondering when the next fire will come.
Saturday, I went to an art class in a beautiful old mansion perched on a hill when the top of a giant, vivid rainbow appeared. Though I couldn’t see it all, I realized I was standing above it, over the rainbow so to speak. I took in my deep breath and smiled, and though it was barely sprinkling, It finally felt like rain may come.
The next day from the window in my friend’s car, we saw a giant vivid rainbow seemingly miles wide. Still no rain.
The next day in the middle of several days with high, dry winds reaching up to fifty miles an hour, the emergency alarms went off on our phones indicating yet another fire and the main highway on the island was closed both directions because of that wildfire.
I was hesitant to drive to a doctor’s appointment, but I ventured out anyway. As I came out of the office, there was another big rainbow seeming to go ahead of my car on my journey home. As I got close to home, a short, wide rainbow appeared on a dark cloud next to the big one. I knew it was the only part of the double rainbow that I couldn’t see the rest of, but it looked like half a rainbow to me.
After the three days of rainbows, the blessed rain finally came, the fire was put out, and there is hope for recovery of our beautiful Maui.
When we pay attention, we can experience signs around us meant to give comfort and assurance that all is well. I am grateful for my three and a half rainbows. I take a deep breath and smile.
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