I'll Paint You a Rainbow

by Grace E. Easley 

I’ll paint you a rainbow to hang on the wall, 

to brighten your heart when the gray shadows fall.

On a canvas of joy outlasting the years,

with a soft brush of sweetness to dry all your tears.

I’ll paint you a rainbow with colors of smiles

that glow with sincerity over the miles. 

On a palette of words I will tenderly blend

Tones into treasures of sunlight and wind. 

I’ll paint you a rainbow that reaches so wide, 

Your sights and your sorrows will vanish inside,

And deep in the center of each different hue,

A memory fashioned especially for you. 

So lift up your eyes, for suspended above,

A rainbow designed by the fingers of love. 

Last night, as I was walking the beach, I looked up at this beautiful sight of the moon, the clouds, and the pink lighting over the glorious ocean waves and soft sand. The number of times I’ve walked the beach and looked around, no other person nearby(sometimes even in sight), where I smile and appreciate the beauty of it, the magnificent colors and textures and sounds and feelings- it’s such a common and wonderful experience and I so enjoy it. When my Great Aunt transitioned from the physical, this poem was on the cards at the funeral. It was so lovely and fitting and, as I looked up last night, I recalled the words, “I’ll paint you a rainbow.” It wasn’t a rainbow I was looking at. It was natural beauty and I watched the coloring as I walked and the sun set, changing from the pink to grey and then darker and darker night. It was all beautiful and the ocean was calm. I wanted to share this here. 

I’m doing extremely well. Life is incredibly good and I am excited and eager for more while also finding so many moments like these, where I am so content and happy right where I am. I update Instagram more often, though I will be back here with more soon enough. Inspired posts are far more favorable than anything else to me and so I update when and as it feels best to. Regardless, I continue to notice and appreciate a great many moments and experiences in my days as I trek on. The journey is the living and I am savoring every step! 

Satisfaction and Appreciation

I woke up this morning and wrote in a notebook about a number of things that were working out for me. I touched on satisfaction when I wrote about Beach Love, how it’s great to fall asleep satisfied and wake eager for more, and I’ve really been feeling satisfaction in noticeable ways more and more for a while now. I’m talking about the feeling of it, not just an action like crossing off something on my to do list or a taste of it here and there. I mean that I have recognized feeling satisfied a lot and I absolutely love it. It is one of my favorite feelings to feel. 

Yesterday I made a phone call to one of my banks because I am getting a new credit card due to a security issue. I had actually been contacted by the merchant and recall not caring much as the transaction was a while back and I watch my account and it’s been fine, as usual. Then I got an email from my bank saying that I’d been issued a new card and it was mailed to me. Now I cared more. I had less than 10 days to get my new card before this one was deactivated and my mail service couldn’t flag my account so I have been checking with them very often to see if it has arrived. I knew and know this will work out fine. So yesterday I called my bank and explained and asked for my current card to remain open for longer, which I was granted. Leaving out the specifics, I wanted to comment on something. The woman was nice and helpful. She kept apologizing. I was thinking in response, “Please stop apologizing. You’re doing your job.” I didn’t say it, I thought it more than once. She also made the comment that she hoped I was having a good day aside from this. I thought, “This is no big deal. I wouldn’t let something keep me from enjoying the day.” I LIKE the contrast. I like new experiences. I LOVE knowing that everything is always working out for me and it’s fun to have it all come together and experience first hand how all the details do just that. 

Last night I returned to the beach for an evening walk and I loved seeing the sunset. It is so beautiful and amazing and something I can’t imagine tiring of. Every day the sun rises and sets. We’re close to a full moon and I watched and admired the lighting on the sand and the waves and the clouds and how the sky was changing color. I stopped very often to look and take pictures. There are moments where you can see the sun and the moon and that liminal time is so cool to me. I love noticing these things and feeling appreciation for them. Appreciation is another one of my favorite things to feel. 

As I left the beach and was heading on a main road, a kind police officer pulled me over. I wondered why and she was very nice and wanted to let me know one of my lights was out. I had a funny moment of not quite understanding her dialect. She told me I could go to Advanced Auto or someplace for a new bulb and that it would probably cost about $10. I thanked her and this morning that is what I did. I showed up fully expecting and knowing that they’d have what I needed and would install it for me. I also had a cash back bonus with them via my credit card. The man helped me as soon as I walked in. We determined which light it was and for less than $12 (less than that once I get the 10% back), I had a new bulb. As he tried to get the old bulb out and explained to me how this light worked (sometimes changing a light is a much bigger process than others depending on the make and how it is built in and thankfully mine was pretty simple and didn’t require a shop visit), he was having some difficulty and went to get a few tools to help. As he tried again and seemed ready to give up, I thought about how easy it was to do it and he tried again, jiggled it back and forth some, then pulled up again and it worked. I learned how to change the light in this RV and this was a quick and easy fix. I told him I really appreciated it and off I went. 

The store I went to next was right in the same lot and I got some thin bagels, juice, and more fresh ground turkey on sale. I got back to the RV happy with how much I enjoy shopping. I especially love grocery stores and now that I have a fridge that is working, I’m loving all the fresh foods and variety I have easy access to. I drove to the beach and got a great parking spot, as usual. I froze most of the meat and made lunch. It was DELICIOUS! Turkey burger with Colby jack cheese in a thin bagel plus fresh tomatoes and a mini cucumber. I also finished off the ice cream and made a float. Satisfaction. Mmm. 

I wanted to write about this more. It’s only a glimpse of all the “little things” in my days that I appreciate and enjoy. 

The other day as I was waiting to turn into the beach parking lot, I recall the moment where I had to wait there and then, as soon as I turned in, I was with perfect timing for another vehicle to leave thus giving me a parking space right away. This lot fills and people drive around it a lot looking for someone leaving, some even park in places that are not actual parking spaces. I stay calm. I know I'll get a spot. I didn't know I was waiting before turning so I would get one until it happened. 

There are so many things working out for me. So many things I may never know the specifics or details of or even have in my awareness other than through the bigger picture. That’s OK. I don’t actually need to. I can be happy and enjoy knowing, trusting, and feeling my way as it happens. And I do. While I have my moments, I pay attention to how I’m feeling. I don’t need any condition to be happy. I can be happy and let the conditions that match be in my experience. And I do. I’ve said it before and I will say it again and again and again: I’d rather be happy. And I am.