Editor’s Note: This is one of the zillions of rainbows on the Hawaiian island of Kaua’i.
We all love rainbows. They are magical to us. When we see them, we stop whatever we are doing to appreciate their beauty, their magic.
For a while we lived on the Hawaiian island of Kaua’i. This lush island is known as the Garden Isle or Island. The daily rainfall makes it so. Often when we were driving around the island, we could see rainbows in every direction. How wonderful is that!
As much as we all love rainbows, we don’t always love rain or rainy, cloudy days. Yet without rain not only would we not have rainbows, we could not exist on Planet Earth. Without rain the land becomes parched, the rivers run dry, the aquifers are drained, our world becomes dusty, and our air becomes unbreathable.
We adults have grown up thinking we don’t love rain because we have forgotten how necessary it is. We have forgotten what it creates for us, such as critical water supplies, beautiful flowers, plants to eat, and mud puddles to play in!
As children we loved rain. What child doesn’t love to jump in mud puddles? Yes, most children all over the planet love rain, love mud puddles. We learned that while living in South Africa.
We happened to be in Durban, South Africa, the rainy day the Truth and Reconciliation Report was published in the newspaper. Tempers were re-ignited as people were reminded of the horrors of Apartheid. On that painful day we were walking along a city street wearing our American lapel pins so that we wouldn’t be mistaken as white South Africans.
Coming toward us was a young, well-dressed woman with her children. In an instant the children spotted a mud puddle and jumped right into it, no doubt splashing their mother. We laughed out loud at the universality of children and mud puddles. We also compared the joyfulness of the children with the ugliness of Apartheid. We humans . . .
And what do we learn from rain? It creates magical rainbows, it replenishes the earth so we can live on this planet, it inspires us to play.
Let’s change our minds and be grateful for rain. Although rain clouds and rainy days can be depressing, let’s remember that they are good news — and they will pass. The sun will shine soon enough.
I’m so glad you two actually stop and look at rainbows and appreciate them! They are so ephemeral, changing with the sun angle. Your essay could encourage people to look at rain as life-giving. Although there can be too much rain, we shouldn’t generally think of rain as “bad weather.” And you sure are right about kids and puddles! Right now the garden is thirsty; when the rain comes I’ll splash in puddles like those wild kids in your photo!
A zillion 🌈 rainbows and only one Jane.
Ah yes, the many blessings rainfall brings and the fun of mud puddles which dogs as well love to splash in. Rainbows themselves, arching the sky, seem to convey a sense of hope and light ahead for all. As I reader here I found it interesting to contemplate how different it would be, if at all, to find myself on an island as I viewed a rainbow. May memories of splashing, whether first-hand or viewing such, and viewing the colors of a rainbow in the skies, be yours now and in the years ahead.
I often wonder when and why do we stop enjoying those things that were magical in our childhood, especially puddles!
Perhaps we could all use a day of puddle jumping!
Your rainbow photo is gorgeous!
I still run outside to look for rainbows after a summer shower when the sun is shining.
How magnificent it would be to see one like the one in your photo.
I’m reminded of the biggest rainbow we’ve ever seen. In Squim, Washington while exiting Costco with the sun starting to set, off to the eastern horizon there it was! The biggest one ever, with both ends almost touching the earth. As usual the parking lot was full of cars and people, but hardly any were moving! And yes, everything changes, all the time.