If You Want The Rainbow, You've Got To Put Up With The Rain

It’s been a bit uneventful these past few days. I have moved to a new apartment, which is situated literally right next to Doug and Chris’s house (we share a porch!). The view from the back porch is absolutely stunning. Here, we’re at a much higher elevation, which allows for a constant tropical breeze and the most amazing views of St. John, Tortola, St. Croix (on a really clear day) and a few other scattered islands. There’s nothing that compares to this view in New Jersey.

As I type, I am sitting in a lounge chair with the sun shining in the sky to my right and a grey cloud looming overhead – the perfect opportunity for a rainbow. I’ve only actually seen a handful in my life. I actually only clearly remember seeing one rainbow back at home. The vast majority I have seen have been here in the last two months.

There are certain circumstances required in order for the phenomenon to take full effect. The sun must be behind the viewer at a low angle and water drops must be present in the air.

Depending on your point of view, the rainbow is either a very short arch, an entire refracted circle, or a series of small rainbows nesting inside one another. Some viewers may only see the five colors, as originally calculated and as most kindergarteners draw with their Crayolas*, or the full Newton-quantified seven gradating to create millions of colors, as more accomplished painters portray in their works of art.

If you happen to view a rainbow from an airplane (in the sky, presumably), you will find that a rainbow is not only just that stereotypical arch that accompanies leprechauns and the fantastical pot o’ gold in Irish folklore; it generally is a full circle, barring the interruption of the refraction of light. It goes without saying that there is more than what meets the eye.

Whether you can take in the full beauty of the way certain circumstances meet and fall into place is dependent upon your point of view. Some folks are so perfectly content with seeing the first arch that they don’t even realize they are missing that second or even third supernumerary refraction of light.

Several individuals aren’t so impressed with the vision until they find an exact scientific explanation. Some see rainbows everyday, and are not so fazed by the occurrence.

Then there are those who are too busy rushing to find the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow to take in the exquisiteness of the rainbow. Inevitably, they blink on their journey to the end of the rainbow, robbing themselves of both the gold and the beauty of the rainbow.

But few can just marvel at the phenomenon that every circumstance fell into place for this reason.

*I’ve been trying to slow it down. I’ve been trying to take it in. In this here today, gone tomorrow world we’re living in, don’t blink.*

You know you love me,
XOXO
-Island Girl

*I could totally use a box of Crayolas right now.