Chasing rainbows

Have you ever experienced night and darkness turn to morning and light?

I have, and as of this writing, I am trying to catch that spectacular change of colors and time to share with you all, before the sun rises at 5:42 a.m. today.

The quarter moon is still lingering, like Alice in Wonderland’s Cheshire Cat with his mischievous grin. Generally, the deep black rules the sky but slowly, hazily, patches of white here and there are starting to show up.

Gradually, some dark shades of blue are appearing in the night canvas, then more gray areas slowly joining in as the moon and the night bid adieu, for now.

Today is a cloudy morning so even the sun did not show up, neither did the various bright colors of the rainbow that herald the dawn! Yes, that is right. One is rewarded with the beautiful changing colors between night and dawn. Aside from the dark bluish shades, grey, white, one sees some light yellow trying to greet you, along with varying shades of pink, and more colors!

Oh, I cannot capture the spectacle enough but perhaps you may wish to wake up early and experience seeing the rainbow colors in front of you. One does not have to wait to see the rainbows during the day or on certain days. Just before dawn or heralding the dawn are rainbows for you all to behold!

And this song comes to mind just now:

“Somewhere over the rainbow way up high, there's a land that I heard of once in a lullaby. Somewhere over the rainbow skies are blue, and the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true. Someday I'll wish upon a star and wake up where the clouds are far behind me. Where troubles melt like lemon drops, away above the chimney tops, that's where you'll find me. Somewhere over the rainbow bluebirds fly. Birds fly over the rainbow, why then, oh, why can't I?”

While looking up and awaiting the rainbow in the early dawn, I remember to lift a prayer for our Filipino women migrants, who brave the early morning winter cold, to start their caregiving work somewhere away from their own home and country. They continue to chase rainbows, praying for that pot of gold they can share with their loved ones back home.

Despite years of hard work and separation, on days when they are unable to send their regular remittance to their families, they receive ingratitude instead. Grey and dark clouds greet them instead of the spectacular rainbow colors, coldness, and ungratefulness rather than love and gratitude.

“Dear Lord, please spare them from the pain that stabs their hearts.”

I say the same prayer for the families who have been told recently about the death of their migrant son or daughter, brother or sister. “Lord, while we know that weeping may endure for a night but joy comes in the morning (Psalm 30:5), comfort them all, Lord, where they are, with your peace and your love.”

While looking up to the skies and witnessing the night turn to morning, once again, this realization: though today may be cloudy and dark, without fail, morning follows night and light after the darkness. Thank God for that guaranteed assurance.

Millions of our people are still chasing their rainbows, away from home and loved ones. So are millions of our people right here in our country, our struggling poor among our farmers, our fisherfolks, our forest dwellers and indigenous peoples.

“Lord, please bless our needy and our poor, with your rainbows each day.”