Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Rainbow Connection


Yesterday driving home from Santa Maria I saw a rainbow. It was a sunny warm day, no rain. Yet here was this rainbow, shining through a hazy cloud and following me halfway home.

I’m no scientist. I don’t understand how light and water combine to create these colors in the sky. For me it's just magic. But I do know that it made me happy the rest of the day. And I had a hard time keeping my eyes on the road.

I’ve always believed happiness is a choice. You can focus on the positive or dwell on everything that goes wrong. Some days it’s harder than others. The editor doesn’t call, the agent says no, your children are manic, the bills are mounting up.

Those are the days to look for rainbows, to find just one thing that you’re thankful for. Then find another. Because the truth is, we’re all so fortunate. We have so much that we take for granted. And the rainbows are there, unexpected, waiting to be seen. Sometimes you just have to look a little harder…

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Lovely. Good reminder! :)

Angela Ackerman said...

Happiness is a choice. There's always something you can find the good in. And although the opposite is true, I've never understood folks who try to see the bad in everything. Ugh--what a way to live.

*spreads rainbows*

Kelly H-Y said...

What a perfectly lovely post! Thank you!

Maggie said...

I always think of rainbows as harbingers of good fortune. Were you perhaps looking at the rare circumhorizontal arc? I heard about the local weather guru talking about it last night. Aren't you the lucky one to have seen it...and with a camera handy, too.

Vivian Mahoney said...

If you want to smile even more, listen to Kermit the frog singing the "Rainbow Connection" on YouTube. Good stuff.

Rainbows are the beauty that follows a storm. Not everyone is fortunate to see one, but they are there, as a sign of the good to come. Yeah. Sounds corny. But my dad always told me this whenever I was upset about something, and you know, parents are always right. ;-) Here's to good things for you!

Sherrie Petersen said...

Becky - Thanks

Angela - I don't understand looking for the bad either. Seems like a depressing way to live.

Kelly - You're welcome!

Maggie - I didn't realize there was a special name for this kind of rainbow. Thanks for telling me. I knew it was special!

Sherrie Petersen said...

Vivian - I love Kermit's song. Sarah McLachlan has a great version of it also. Thanks for the good wishes!

Kelly Polark said...

Oh, I didn't know Sarah MC did a version of that song! I will have to check it out( the song is stuck in my mind now... ;)

I agree that happiness is a choice. Some days are harder than others, but I do think that positivity brings more positivity.

Kelly Polark said...

Hmmm, now I"m not sure positivity is a word...if not, it should be!
:0)

Suzanne Casamento said...

Great post Sherrie. Thank you for the reminder of the good stuff.

Michelle D. Argyle said...

This is a good reminder that I needed, thank you! Just as my daughter comes out of her room refusing to take a nap so that I have no writing time....

I'm lookin' for the rainbows! She's awfully cute. And happy. :)

Thanks for this post. It's a great reminder!

Sherrie Petersen said...

Kelly - The Sarah McLachlan version is on a cd called "For the Kids" that has great redos of kids song by bands like Cake, Barenaked Ladies and Tom Waits. I love her version of the song.

Suzanne - You're welcome!

Glam - That's why they're cute...to counteract the times when they try your patience!

Lee Wind, M.Ed. said...

thanks, this was nice to read.
I'll be looking for a rainbow today.
namaste,
Lee

valerie hobbs said...

Your positive spirit always lifts me up.

John M 2 said...

The happiness as choice idea just hasn't caught on in trendier pop culture. Maybe since stories need conflict to be interesting, some people feel they need drama or they'll be boring. Or they're scared they'll miss the chance to blame someone for a problem.

Anyway, thanks Sherrie, for the boost, for getting me thinking, and for promoting my mom's ideas. Thanks Vivian; I'm going to share your dad's thoughts with my kids. Maggie, thanks for the new word!

It's not pie in the sky, it's a circumhorizontal arc!

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