Friday, July 20, 2012

A Lucky Rainbow

I woke up this morning and the first thing I saw on my computer screen was the horrific shootings at the movie theater in Colorado last night.  Yet another senseless and tragic incident that doesn't help better my views of humanity at large.  Why do such things happen, especially to innocents?  Imagine going to the theater to catch the latest movie and never coming home...and even those poor people who witnessed it!  So sad!


That being said, this incident underscores why it's very important to keep things all in perspective.  As we see by last night's events and in our daily lives, life is precious and unpredictable.  No one knows how long they have for this world, and so we all have to learn to let go of the things that are not really important and focus on the things that are.  Appreciate all you've got in this world and savor it every chance you get.  I was reminded of this just the other day...

For most of the day on Wednesday, the skies were ominous, and they finally opened up with a wicked, but short thunderstorm sometime in the late afternoon.  I was a little disappointed because I usually take a walk in the early evening and it looked like it just wasn't going to happen.  Well, around 7:30 p.m., the sun began to peek its way through the clouds and I decided to give it a go.  I packed up my iPod, put on the headphones, and headed out the door.  I got no further than the corner just a few feet from my house when I first saw it.



Yeah, it was a rainbow, but not just any rainbow.  Though the picture above doesn't do it real justice, it was spectacular!  The colors were vividly bright and the whole thing was within view from end to end, something I don't think I've ever seen before.

As I walked I kept my gaze at this rare beauty, and this magnificent thing worked its magic on those around me.  For this first time in forever, I met a lot of people, neighbors really, during my walk as they had all come outside to witness this unique and wonderful event, cameras and pictures in hand.

"Amazing, isn't it?" I said to one woman as she snapped away with her camera pointed towards the sky.

She responded enthusiastically.  "Yeah, and there's two of them!"

I looked up into the sky again and sure enough, there was the rainbow I'd been looking at all along, and there, just a small distance above it, was another rainbow, not as brilliant, but there nonetheless.  "Incredible," I said to the woman, and kept on walking with my eyes towards the sky.  I came across many people during my walk and exchanged pleasantries with most of them.  It's funny how these types of things bring out the best in people, isn't it?

Any-who, I came to Montauk Highway with the rainbow still as brilliant as it had been for the past twenty minutes and went into my neighborhood Dunkin Donut's. I go in there often enough that I know the guys who work there.

"Hey, did you guys see that rainbow?" I asked.

"Hell yeah," said the cute younger dude behind the counter.  

"I think it's gonna be good luck for everyone who sees it," I answered.

"Zombie apocalypse," was his answer.  "I dunno, did ya hear bout the zombie attacks in Florida?  Happened right here in Patchogue this morning.  Some dude attacked his grandmother with a knife this morning.  I tell ya, it's a sign alright. Zombies."

I didn't know how to answer that one.  Like I said, the guy was young and....well you know.  He handed me my coffee and I put the change in his tip cup, thinking to myself that I was right in what I had said.  He saw the rainbow and he got a tip.  Lucky, right?

On my way back to my house, the rainbow was to my right and a little behind me, and I had to keep glancing back towards it every once in awhile to savor the moment.  I got to thinking about what I'd said.  Was seeing this beauty really going to give me luck?  Money?  A new boyfriend?  A new job? But as I continued on, meeting and chatting with more people along the way, I thought to myself, "I'm already lucky."

Yes, I am one lucky guy.  We're all pretty lucky if we think about it.  Sure, everybody's got problems and issues in their lives, but we all have good things in our lives, too.  Like I've always said, we just need to be reminded of this once in awhile and all will be good.  I've got good friends, a wonderful job, and the freedom to enjoy my life in the best way I can.  What's not to be happy about?    

So whenever you're feeling life's frustrating, disappointing and sometimes mundane nature, just think about all of the good things you have to be thankful for.  Savor the good moments while they last and don't dwell on the negative.  Seeing that double-rainbow was a rare thing I'll probably never see again, but at least I got to see it, and it taught me once again to appreciate just how lucky I am.
  





Love and Pride

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