Rainbows

Rainbows

Whether the sun covered me in its warm delightful rays of hope or the clouds opened their great hands to release white flakes of snow. I always found myself walking down the familiar park path and sitting on its old rotting bench.
It didn't matter what the weather was like as long as I was able to sit there, close my eyes and let the reassuring glow of happier times grace my memory.
The familiar sound of the chickadee%u2019s song and the scent of the forests musk always helped words flow through my pen
The only thing that could make my moments in this place a complete fantasy would be the gentle kisses of raindrops and the soft caress of a cool breeze.
I often dream back into memories of my childhood while I sit back upon my bench and wait for inspirations blow to hit me.
The images of my younger self riding down the graveled trail upon my pink, white and yellow bike pushing my legs to pedal faster trying desperately to catch up to my older sister. While at the same time holding back not wanting to lose sight of my mother who walked slowly behind pulling a large blue oxygen tank on chrome wheels.
Her face was gaunt and shadowed by years of strain and pills her clothes were baggy and worn and her skin was pale, stretched thin over calcium deficient bones. Even with all these visible weaknesses her eyes glimmered with a head strong attitude assuring passerby's that she was indeed a force to be reckoned with.
The clouds began to roar angrily and shoot flashes across the sky, my younger self whimpered and moaned in fear of the great beast that would drop down and drench us all to the bone.
I remember my mother had stopped me in mid flight when I had attempted to pedal my way home before the rain fell.
She sat me down on this very bench wanting to share the beauty of the lightning and the rain with me.
I fought her grasp as the thunder wailed and the rain fell hard against my face stinging my cheeks but she sat still her chin lifted upwards as if waiting for something more.
I was surprised when the rain had stopped so suddenly. My mother pointed a finger to the sky towards a bridge of color and light that dazzled my eyes.
The rainbow stayed in the sky for only a short time before the clouds drifted over the sun and only then did my mother rise to walk the long journey home but not after placing a hand on both mine and my sisters shoulders, glancing meaningfully into our soft childish faces and saying the words that would stay in my heart as long as I lived.
%u201CI want you both to remember that when things get hard and it feels as if a rain cloud has covered your hearts remember that you can%u2019t get a rainbow without a little rain%u201D.