Now recently (in the past year) when this situation occurs, I've found myself sometimes doubting my destination, having flashbacks and occasionally being paralyzed by fear, actually for quite a silly reason: D of E. When my group walked on our Silver practice, we walked on a day when 1/3 of Britain's annual average rainfall fell. It was a terrifying experience and has genuinely left me scarred, which I personally find hilarious!! I actually love the rain, but my body thinks it's dangerous- I promise you, it's not. OH! And don't be discouraged from D of E, it's not always like that!
So there I was in this downpour: emotionally I find the experience beautiful, physically I find it dizzying and fearful, but mentally I find those two sides battling so amusing that I almost missed the view when I flicked my head up to move my hood from my eyes. I had a double take, then stopped, admiring the double rainbow the sky was accommodating.
I was never told the stories about gold at the end of the rainbow when I was little, however I discovered the tale once when I was reading a story book I'd taken out of the library at the age of about 7 (yeah I used to think I was Matilda or something, I don't know, my childhood was a bit messy). APPARENTLY, some small, green, angry- but kindly- Irish chap with four-leaf-clovers and horseshoes was going around leaving big pots of gold at the ends of rainbows, but someone was stealing the gold every time anyone got close.
I threw the legend away when I got older- obviously it's just fairy stories- but I thought in that second when I saw them sitting a short way apart from each other "where does the gold go in this scenario?". Because by my childhood logic, the man shouldn't leave two pots; anyone who finds the first is bound to find the second if they're so close together! That surely can't be fair on others hunting the treasure?! Well, like I said earlier, it's not true. I was lied to by that book in the library.
But what if I'm wrong?
What if there really is gold at the end of the rainbow?
Well that made me think about those things I believe and those things I don't: I believe in mermaids; I believe in the Loch Ness monster; I believe we can miss people we've never met; I believe there are some kinds of monsters under the bed that will never go away, and I believe memories can haunt us, regardless of whether we can remember them or not. I don't believe anyone is beyond saving; I don't believe humans can pass a fair judgement on themselves, due to distortions of the world on our minds. I don't believe in those things I know would hold me back if I believed in them and I DO believe in things others would consider impossible or highly improbable.
I'm so assured of these things that actually, I thought to myself, it doesn't take a genius to know that there is more than gold at the end of the rainbow. There's happiness. That's what we're always taught, right? Somewhere over the rainbow skies are blue and the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true.
Well what if Hubert Stothart (look him up) was wrong, too?
"What if happiness isn't over the rainbow? What if it's on our side already, we're just not tuned into it?"I recently dropped myself into a double dare with my friend:
I: I double dare you to get all A's.
Friend: Double dare... you're getting them too then, right?
I: Sure!
I believe my friend is fully capable of getting all A's. Friend just doesn't know it yet. And if in August, Friend sees a letter that isn't an A, my friend will no doubt believe less that Friend can complete the dare. I know you can though, Friend. Your dream isn't that far-fetched. You know what you want to do; that's the only thing that will make you happy. You CANNOT let it get away that easily. Your happiness depends on it. And your happiness isn't over the other side of the rainbow, friend. It's right here.
Just...
Tune in.
Because what if there really is gold at the end of the rainbow?
