Friday, January 29, 2010

Making Rainbows

When we were kids, one of the weekend “chores” we considered as fun was watering the garden. We had a long green garden hose which would normally be found in one corner of the garden, coiled like a snake. When it was time to water the plants, we would connect one end to the faucet and the water would spurt out of the other end. We would wet each other with sprinkles, spurts, splashes and showers. We took turns watering the garden so that everyone had a chance to play with the hose.

In order to get the maximum area wet in the shortest amount of time, we would cover the end of the hose with our thumb and let the water spread into a fan-like fountain. I loved to do this because it was only when the water was spread out like this could rainbows be created (granting the sun was out).

In the Old Testament, the rainbow is the sign of the covenant which God made with man, never to destroy the earth with flood again. The rainbows come as the sun shines after a storm. It is a reminder of better things to come. It is a spectrum of hope.

When we went towards the Sydney Olympic Park to watch the movie UP, our meeting place was at the Overflow. We had no idea what the Overflow was but we were told that it was across the ANZ Stadium and that we wouldn't miss it. True enough, we found the Overflow and we couldn't miss it because we were greeted by the Olympic Cauldron filled with children.

It was late afternoon when we arrived and I was amazed that people were actually "showering" under the cauldron and getting themselves wet. As I paused to take a picture of the Olympic Cauldron, I noticed the rainbow made when the sun hit the water.

More often than not, one finds beautiful things in the most unexpected places.

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