RAINBOW
I Remembered to Look Up
The commute home on I 95, not expecting anything but traffic and the occasional bright display of Fall leaf colors, but then…at a stop light, I gazed out the windshield and looked up.
It was a rainbow in the cirrus clouds. No rain, no storm, just sunny skies all day. I yelled, “RAINBOW!” My daughter was in the car with me, so no folks, I did not have a commuter induced hallucination.
I had to get my eyes back on the stoplight, and she continued staring at it in utter amazement and bliss. It looked as if a spotlight were shining through it, directly to us. (Very reminiscent of the Bat Sign from the classic 1960’s live action TV Batman sign)
My daughter’s 21st century fingers flew over her phone and as we began to drive away from this colorful sign of hope, she discovered that it was the very rare circumhorizantal arc, or more commonly called, “The Fire Rainbow.” Here is a great link to learn more: https://ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/weather/2021/08/11/have-you-ever-heard-of-a-rainbow-cloud--
Had I not looked up, neither one of us would have witnessed this event. I need to remember to look up. I spend so much of my life looking out in front of me, side to side, rear view mirror, but not up.
Look up today if you feel so inclined. I know I’m going to. I’m sure to see something I wouldn’t have seen had I not. Those of you who know me, or have been a faithful reader of my Substack, know I’m more of the Tree Hugger school of life rather than any religion. I do not believe in fate, signs from a higher power etc.… It is possible, to simply be amazed and in awe of our Earth home and our atmosphere.
Don’t we all need a little hope right now? Look up. Thank you for reading. Tell me please, what you saw when you looked up, and drop it in the comments below. Please know, that I am aware and in great distress over parts of world where looking up might very well present a bomb, a missile, or some other manmade horror. I want peace so, so much for my fellow humans, my fellow living creatures, for our
Earth.
Mother Nature's canvas! The sky is beautiful, majestic, inspiring , ominous, terrifying, peaceful and soothing. A mirror of life in general!
Thank you for sharing this beautiful photo, Mary! I was amazed upon seeing the beauty in it in your pic and I can only imagine what it was like to see it in person! I have never seen nor heard of a circumhorizontal arc before, so I also appreciate the link you attached in your newsletter. I wrote a long post earlier this day about the incomprehensible horror taking place in Israel today. I have a friend who lives in Israel and she has been sharing posts that include pictures & descriptions of many individuals who have been killed there so that these people aren’t just considered numbers. I am going to share your photo with her. We all need to see beauty in life right now.