The following is an excerpt from my memoir … My brother Mark and I had been playing outside but as the sky became darker we knew a storm was coming so we went inside to safety. We observed it through the front screen door. Being the late 1950s, the door was made of wood and the screen part of it would be replaced in the winter with glass.
There was noone outside. They had all scurried indoors at the first signs of a storm as we had.
As we watched, it grew as dark as nightfall and felt sinister.
The air had an earthy smell.
The birds’ singing stopped.
The lightning was close. It lit up the sky over the next street.
Immediately after, a boom of thunder exploded overhead. It was so near that it was loud enough to make the windows rattle. The universe sure was angry!
With the thunder the skies opened and it poured rain.
I could hear my mom saying, “A summer storm never lasts long. Soon the rain will stop, the sky will be blue and you’ll see a rainbow. Just stay at the door and watch.”
Gradually the thunder and lightning were quieter as the storm moved away to the east and the rain stopped.
Sure enough! Everything mom had said came true and we went outside to play again!
The grass had become greener as it drank up the rain. The downpour had driven out the worms which were now wriggling on the lawn.
The fresh, clean smell of the air was intoxicating.
Perhaps there was a rainbow after every storm because I grew up on Rainbow Avenue – or maybe not.
It could be that seeing rainbows after every summer storm is another reason I’m such a positive person.
After every storm no matter how long it is, a calm follows, a blue sky always emerges and if you’re lucky to see it – there is a rainbow.
Do YOU look for rainbows?