The Rainbow

This is an extract nfrom my new novel, "The Keepsake." Visit www.spiritteach.net for details of how to buy it.

We were sitting on top of the ridge overlooking ‘our lake’ beyond which was another ridge, the twin of this one. The sun was shining and the sky above the lake was bright blue. Doing nothing in particular, we just sat treasuring the closeness of one to the other, listening to the birdsong and drowsing to the steady drone of insects. Yesterday and Carla seemed far away; to belong to a different century. I don’t know when I’d felt so relaxed. Olwen cried out, her voice full of excitement,
“Oh Ian look! Look at the rainbow, isn’t it wonderful?”

A perfect rainbow was forming which framed the lake, the two ends of the arch resting perfectly on either side of the water. We stared at it enraptured.
“It’s getting brighter. I don’t think I’ve ever seen such brilliant colours in a rainbow before.”

“You’re right Olwen and look, there’s a second rainbow forming alongside the first. Can you see it? It’s almost as bright as the other.”

“You know this means there are four pots of gold don’t you?” I laughed and replied,
“It’s so beautiful Olwen; I can believe anything at this moment.” I put my arm around her and drew her close.

We sat and watched in awe as the colours deepened. We became aware that behind us the light was so bright we knew if we looked around we would be blinded. Our rational selves knew it must be the sun but neither of us dared to look. It was almost as though we were in the presence of some special magic and to look backwards would break the spell, dispersing all the beauty unfolding before us.

“Look Olwen, there are two purple bands in each rainbow. Can you see?”

“Yes, it’s magic Ian. I feel God has singled us out for a special treat. Do you think He’s trying to tell us something?”

“No, He’s not trying to tell us anything. It’s His way of saluting our love.”
“Oh Ian, what a beautiful thing to say; no wonder I love you.”

It would have been natural to kiss but somehow we just couldn’t tear our eyes away from the scene before us. We just sat and stared, lost in wonder at this unique spectacle. It was so breathtaking there were tears in my eyes and I felt as if the light was filling me and enhancing my eyesight. I could swear I saw colours in the rainbow that I had never seen before. Colours I never knew existed.

As I looked I realised there were four rainbows, not two - Two in the sky and two in the lake. The lake was a perfect mirror reflecting the arches that spanned it. I found myself thinking about the future with Olwen and tried once more to picture the room I had glimpsed earlier. Somehow I knew she and I would be together for the rest of our lives. My heart swelled and my whole body tingled with excitement as I saw the room again. Just like before, it wore a familiar look. There was something about the windows … I tried and tried to work out why but still couldn’t place it. What I did know was it exuded a feeling of utter peace. The room seemed to wrap us in a cocoon of love and contentment. I knew I would recognise it as soon as I saw its physical counterpart and wondered when and where that would be.
Olwen interrupted my reverie.

“The birds aren’t singing anymore. Have you noticed?”

She was right. Even the skylarks were silent. Until a few moments ago they had filled the air with their joyous warbling as they climbed higher and higher into the sky, each trying to outdo the other in expressing its joy. I wondered if they too were overawed by the spectacle. There we were high in the Radnor hills amid perfect silence, watching the most beautiful natural phenomenon either of us had ever seen. Stunned by the beauty, we couldn’t break the almost mystical silence and sat there spellbound and still as though in a place of worship. I don’t know how long we sat there but it seemed forever. Gradually the light behind us dimmed, the colours in the rainbows began to fade and then the second, shadow rainbow, disappeared.
“I want to stay here always,” murmured Olwen, “but if we don’t leave soon we’re going to get so wet it isn’t true.”

We stood up and started to hurry back to the car. I thought that was that but we had another surprise. As we retraced our steps I noticed something else.
“Am I imagining things Olwen, or has the path turned purple?”

“Oh my goodness, it has and just the path. The grass on either side is still green. How incredible. What can it mean?”

“I think it’s connected in some way with the two purple bands in the rainbow,” I replied “but I can’t explain it, especially the fact that only the path seems to be affected. I’ve never seen anything like this before, have you?”

“No never. I’ve read somewhere that purple is the colour of power, which is why emperors and bishops wear purple robes. Look, let’s not try to analyse it, the magic will go if we do, just accept it as a blessing on the power of our love, a special benediction just for you and me.”

I’m not a religious or mystical person but this experience affected me a great deal. I seemed to feel the touch of an invisible hand and like Olwen was convinced that this whole, wonderful phenomenon was in some strange way staged for our benefit. Such a conclusion was irrational and quite contrary to my training as an accountant but I am certain that our souls had been touched. Neither of us would be the same again.