A series of events today led to a post-8:00pm departure from
the office. I stood at the door, hand on the handle, looking out at the rain
and thinking about the umbrella I’d left in the car. I was tired, a little
bummed, and thinking about the to-do list I had for the evening that now would
not get done. Deep breath, let it go,
open the door, walk into the rain.
I noticed as I walked through the parking lot that part of
the sky was free of cloud and showed hints of the sunset. As I pulled out onto
the road, a song I love came on. Singing now, when I made the next turn, heading
north-west, I saw quite a spectacular sunset taking place.
With every swish of the windshield wipers I saw the way the
clouds broke in the distance, giving way to a giant ball of orange-red fire,
which seemed to float, suspended in the atmosphere between them. It painted the
sky with streaks and smears of every color of red, pink, purple, blue, yellow
and orange. The setting sun commanded with mighty force while the angry gray storm
clouds lurked around on all sides like dark jungle cats stalking their prey. I
tried to take it all in before turning due-east, grabbing a last glimpse in the
rear-view.
Looking up at the ominous dark clouds above and ahead of me,
a huge smile spread across my face. There against the murky sky was the biggest
arc of a rainbow I ever have seen. Larger than a half-circle, the ROYGBIV
masterpiece seemed to wrap around the whole earth. It disappeared from sight as
quickly as it came while I drove further into the storm, but the smile stayed
plastered on my face.
Crossing the Ashley, generally one of my favorite things
about driving home at sunset, I no longer saw the sun itself, but the entire
horizon was on fire. God’s canvas was ablaze with a mixing and meshing of
colors, clouds and clear sky that, if captured in 2D, would seem unreal.
When I walked into the apartment, the kitties made quite a
fuss over my arrival. They were hungry, and I was late for dinner. I had gotten
so lost in the wonders of the sunset on the way home that I’d forgotten what
time it was.
As I filled their dishes, I filled the air with praise and
thanksgiving. Imagine how differently my evening would be had I allowed myself
to get caught up in the defeating attitude that threatened to swallow me
leaving late from work? I’d be as dark and gloomy as the storm clouds. I
might’ve missed the sunset’s glory and I certainly wouldn’t have seen the
rainbow. I’d be cranky and feel over-tired. My back would hurt more, and I’d be
irritable.
There is incredible power in thoughts. I work really hard to
be conscious of what I am thinking, what causes shifts in my mood, and on what
I choose to focus throughout the day. It makes a huge difference in my quality
of life from day to day, and I thank God for making it possible.
=D
