Friday, May 15, 2009

Over the Rainbow

Yesterday on our long, long, LOOOONG drive home we passed through patches of sun intermingled with rain showers. When we exited the freeway and started the drive to my SIL's place I saw the arc of a rainbow in the distance.

"Look, E, a rainbow!"

"I don't see it..."

"Right over there, between the..."

"Oh! There is is...do you see the end of it?"

"It's over there behind those trees."

"Can we drive to the end of the rainbow?"

I paused for a few moments. Do I talk about optics and prisms and that from a different angle it will disappear? Do I tell him that there is no 'end' of the rainbow, no pot of gold, no dream to reach for?

"We don't have enough gas, sweetie."

"Oh."

It made me a bit sad though. I am sad that I no longer believe in searching for the end of the rainbow, tilting at windmills or chasing unicorns. Santa is just a guy in a red costume, after all.

When is it that we lose the whimsy and playfullness of children? I don't know. I do know that I wish we had had enough gas to go chasing that rainbow.

2 comments:

Notes and letters to myself.... said...

I am so happy to see you posting again. How are things? I hope well.

Marie said...

I, too am happy to see a new post. I take it your job in Minnesota is over? Hope you had a wonderful time. Too bad you are leaving just when things are getting beautiful here.
Good luck!!

Hugs,
Marie