Rainbows Before Dawn

My meditation over, I opened my eyes in the early morning darkness. Beside me, my dogs roused themselves from sleep. Looking out the window into the night sky I saw what appeared to be a double rainbow.

It’s not possible, we think, for such a thing to exist. There are no rainbows in the dark. We experience many things in life that we tell ourselves can’t be.

Yet, they are.

There are predawn rainbows caused by an unusual refraction of lights playing off buildings and clouds. Sometimes we experience an unfamiliar sound, an unexpected breeze.

Something we neither recognize nor anticipate.

They can be both extraordinary and wonderful. That which is unplanned has the ability to open our eyes to new ideas and new events.

A few hours later I was waiting to meet someone I’d never before met. I waited. And waited. And waited. Once upon a time I would have given myself kudos for any manner of patience. I would have asked the receptionist precisely what had become of the man.

In this particular case, I was not that interested. I supposed that when my appointment showed up, he would provide a reasonable explanation and apologize for his lateness. As adults do.

My appointment arrived an hour and a half late. There was great waving of arms, yelling, demands, rudeness and generally immature and unprofessional behavior. It was quite remarkable to observe. There was neither an explanation nor an apology for his keeping me waiting.

In the middle of his ill-mannered display I was informed that if I didn’t like the way things were, I could fire him and find somebody else. That was not a new thought. I’d had it before I fired his predecessor. I’d had it while waiting.

Simultaneous to the young man’s explosive entry and accompanying boorish behavior, the angels filling the room were asking me not to walk out on him. Not to fire him. His guardian angel and other angels were telling me he needed my help.

Perhaps, I replied, but I don’t need him. I’m tired of people who behave horribly.

His soul is in trouble, his guardian angel told me. He’s on his way to hell.

He isn’t mature enough to care, I answered. Maybe he is on the way to hell. It’s his choice. He behaves like a little monster. I cannot help anybody as rude and immature as him. He doesn’t listen.

The angels protested, You can’t let him go to hell!

I’m not. He’s doing it all on his own. He’s too busy thinking he’s God to pay attention to reality. I can’t help people who won’t listen. If he wants to go to hell, it’s his choice. I won’t stop him.

Eventually the young man performed his version of calming down. As our conversation came to a close, he asked what I did prior to retirement. I told him I’m a psychic — a misnomer if more easily understood than mystic — and that we never really retire. That caught his interest. He asked if that was what I’d always done for work. No, I told him, I was a financial analyst.

The young man’s eyes flew open. As circumstances would have it, I was not just another inconvenient old coot after all. I was somebody with a life that was unlike anything he’d heard before. In his surprise, he commented that the combination sounded unusual. Not at all, I assured him. I’ve known psychics who are in all sorts of professions.

Ultimately, it is our decision as to how we will live with the talents and abilities we are given.

We can, in spite of all the distractions of life, listen to our guardian angels. We can listen to the good within ourselves and others. We can be willing to live a positive life. There is so much more to life than appearing to do good. There is more than looking like we’re helping people when we’re treating them badly.

Yelling and screaming at people, flailing our arms about, accusing others of committing wrongs when no wrongs were committed lead us to the point where we lose ourselves. We lose the person we’re supposed to be in favor of what comes easy. We claim all sorts of excuses. We’re tired. We’re stressed out. Our energy has been sapped.

Is that the truth?

Or is the truth that it’s easier to complain and blame than take responsibility?

We choose heaven or hell on a minute to minute basis.

What will it be?

Will we see only dark or will we see rainbows?