A few days ago, we experienced Florida weather here at the Jersey Shore. In a matter of mere minutes, we had showers, sun, downpour while sunny, wind, sun, hail, thunder, rain, then sun again.

Florida weather.

At one point, as pea-sized hail pellets bounced off the deck, I kept a concerned watch for locusts and aliens mixed in with the hailstones, as either wouldn’t have surprised me right about now.

The weather was absolutely perfect for chasing rainbows between the deluges.

I’ve always been an avid rainbow chaser, but I tend to miss more than I catch either because of my vantage, my location, or my timing.

Anyway, as the last bit of rain moved east about a quarter to six in the evening, the declining sun in the west broke through the clouds and created an angle of sunshine that was prime for painting rainbows in the sky.

I threw on my boots and ventured to our front yard, which faces west. The street flooded because it was high tide and the storm drains couldn’t handle any more water. I took some pictures of reflections of trees and houses in the water, nothing spectacular, just images to remember the moment. I splashed through the puddles then walked around to the back yard, where I roamed while keeping a keen eye on the sky to the east which had faded to a lighter shade of gray.

A blue jay watched me wander from high atop a pine tree and a cardinal crooned his cheer-cheer-cheer song from the blooming dogwood. I stopped pacing to appreciate the perfect water droplets that perfectly dangled from the end of each pine needle. A catbird appeared out of nowhere for the first time this season having returned from wherever he wintered. He sang to me a beautiful melody which he promptly followed with his loud meow-like call.

I thanked the catbird for his performance as I looked to the sky again, and there it was…

the brightest rainbow I’ve seen in a very long time glowing in the sky, its right side fainter than its brilliant left with its highest arch fading in and out of view. A paler rainbow with its colors reversed mirrored it for almost its entire length.

 

I whipped out my phone and quickly snapped a few photographs of its brilliance, knowing from past experience that rainbows can vanish quicker that they appeared.

This one, though…this one hung out for a while, unusually long as far as rainbows go. I put my phone in my pocket and just stood there gazing at its majesty. The vivid colors, I cannot recall ever seeing a rainbow so bright and radiant.

Suddenly, I became aware of the song playing from the radio in my husband’s workshop as I took in the rainbow’s splendor…

…Ooh child…Things are gonna get easier

Ooh child…Things’ll get brighter

Some day, yeah…We’ll put it together and we’ll get it undone

Some day…When your head is much lighter

Some day, yeah…We’ll walk in the rays of a beautiful sun

Some day…When the world is much brighter

Ooh child…Things are gonna get easier

Ooh child…Things’ll get brighter… 

“Ooh Child,” lyrics by Stan Vincent, performed by Five Stairsteps

Surreal perfection.

Absolute bliss.

Genuine hope.

Indescribable peace.

I existed in harmony with nature and its coincidentally spontaneous soundtrack, and in that moment, all was right in my world.

What I’ve written here doesn’t do justice to my experience, the full encounter and its all-encompassing effect unable to be replicated with words even by the finest Hollywood writer.

All I can do is offer you this message:

And the rainbow continues to shine…

 

 Thanks for joining me on my journey. I’m glad you’re here.

With gratitude,

Jill

“Coronacation Chronicles – May 3, 2020” was posted on jillocone.com and on soulseaker.com on May 3, 2020. Views and opinions expressed in this post are solely those of the writer, who was not compensated in any way by any entity. Copyright 2020, Jill Ocone. All rights reserved. Contact jillocone@gmail.com with reposting, licensing, and publishing inquiries.