I grumbled to myself (yes, I frequently have one-on-one conversations with myself – that’s apparently quite normal): “Good grief, what dreadful weather!” But suddenly, a warm ray of light touched my cheek and I looked up. Instantly, my grumpiness gave way to a smile. “Wow, that’s beautiful!” An impressive arch loomed across the sky before me! It seemed as if the world paused just to present this colourful spectacle to me on this grey Monday morning.
To me, a rainbow is one of the most enchanting natural phenomena. It’s easy to see it as a ‘simple’ physical phenomenon where sunlight is reflected and refracted through raindrops. But it symbolises much more. The rainbow represents femininity – the smooth arc is elegant, radiating a spectrum of colours from red to violet and exuding a calm and gentle aura amidst rain and sometimes even storms. It also embodies strength – displaying a magnificent palette of colours in the vast grey sky with just a few rays of sunlight. At the same time, a rainbow’s beauty is fleeting and fragile. It appears suddenly when water droplets break the light, but once the specific combination of conditions no longer applies, it disappears as quickly as it appeared. Its transience highlights the impermanence of life and the limited control we have over it.
Moreover, the rainbow symbolises light shining in darkness – colour and joy amidst gloom. A rainbow on a Monday morning reminds me that, even in difficult times, there are bright spots, but only if we’re open to seeing them. It teaches me to appreciate the small wonders in everyday life.
With a renewed perspective, I continued my journey to campus. My wet trousers were not only soaked by the cold rain but also saturated with the beauty of nature and the warmth of the sun. It was a personal reminder that, even on dark, grey Monday mornings, there’s always something beautiful to find if we’re open to seeing it.
