thank you God for the rainbows out of the storm

Oprah and Deepak’s most recent free 21 day meditation was entitled Manifesting Grace through Gratitude and it explored the profound power of gratitude in our lives. On Day 19, Oprah shared a personal story about being in a very difficult moment in her life and calling her mentor Maya Angelou in despair, looking for comfort and a little sympathy. Maya instructed Oprah to stop crying and instead to say thank you. Oprah inquired, “Why would I say thank you for this?” Maya responded, “Say thank you because God has put a rainbow in every cloud and the rainbow is coming. Say thank you even though you can’t see it because it’s already there.”

WOW. 

I can now share, through hindsight, some of the rainbows I could not see in the darkest of storms:

My brother Craig’s “premature” and sudden death (from an epileptic seizure) at age 26 

The shock and heartbreak of losing our beloved brother and son pulled our family together, strengthening and deepening our bonds; it gave us the awareness to be more present in our lives and to shed the inconsequential having experienced the fragility of life...and for me personally, Craig was a trusted and familiar catalyst for my opening to communicate with souls/spirit on the other side of the veil.

My first born’s descent into the dark abyss of drugs

Connor is more gentle, compassionate, present, thoughtful, open, loving, sensitive and connected (to herself and nature and her family and spirit) than she was before her time in darkness...and for me personally, I learned to allow her soul its own journey.

My dad suffering through a two year physical decline and death

Dad was willing to prolong his transition back home into the spiritual realm so that his loved ones could learn and gain what we needed to learn and gain during that time...and for me personally, not suffering Dad’s choices but instead allowing him his journey was reinforced; also, gratefully, Dad is present and available for guidance in my life now in every moment.

It never occurred to me to say thank you while being beaten down by these storms. I was aware of and expressed gratitude for the support of spirit to survive the storms, but never for the rainbow or beauty coming. Knowing like attracts like, I now see how saying thank you for the abstract and unseen rainbow in the dark clouds has the potential for lifting us above surviving, and into thriving, attracting an even more brilliant rainbow.

WOW. 

Thank you Maya Angelou.

Thank you Oprah.

Thank you Deepak Chopra.

Thank you God.

Thank you my Higher Self for recognizing the rainbows, and the essence of gratitude.