A beautiful thing happened here in the Midwest on May 8th. After a midday thunder storm the skies to the west cleared up and a double rainbow appeared, now I didn’t get to see it myself but here’s the amazing part of this story, pictures started popping up all over social media and for the first time in a while people were posting positive thoughts and feelings, there was a big drop off in negative posts be it about the government, shootings, or just general complaining about life in general. Now this was short lived and the negative posts came back, now don’t get me wrong I still think that 80% of social media is positive, useful and fun entertainment.

Now let’s get back to the rainbow, what is it about them that make us feel so good? Here are somethings I found out about them.

In Greco-Roman mythology, the rainbow was considered to be a path made by a messenger (Iris) between Earth and Heaven.

In Chinese mythology, the rainbow was a slit in the sky sealed by goddess Nüwa using stones of five different colors.

The Irish leprechaun’s secret hiding place for his pot of gold is usually said to be at the end of the rainbow. This place is impossible to reach, because the rainbow is an optical effect which depends on the location of the viewer. When walking towards the end of a rainbow, it will appear to “move” further away.

According to Genesis, after Noah’s flood God put the rainbow in the sky as the sign of His promise that He would never again destroy the earth with flood (Genesis 9:13–17)

Now here’s my take on rainbows. As a youth I remember mom always getting us kids together after a rain to go outside and search the sky looking for rainbows and I recall seeing our neighbors doing the same (life was hard before social media). On time I asked her what causes a rainbow and she said it was God’s way of telling us it was safe after the storm. And there’s these lyrics from Israel Kamakawiwo’ole (mom would argue that it should be Judy Garlands) version of “Over The Rainbow”

Somewhere over the rainbow
Bluebirds fly
And the dreams that you dream of
Dreams really do come true
Someday, I wish upon a star
Wake up where the clouds are far behind me
Where trouble melts like lemon drops
High above the chimney top
That’s where you’ll find me

Somewhere over the rainbow
Bluebirds fly
And the dreams that you dare to
Oh why, oh why can’t I?

When I see a rainbow I think of mom being safe and of these lyrics and feel that there’s hope for a cure, not only for Parkinson’s but Cancer, ALS, Alzheimer’s and any of the many that we suffer from! You see I do believe that dreams do come true!!!
Stew