A Smiling Rainbow in Italy

Italians and rainbows are doing what they can to boost morale during the Coronavirus pandemic. And there's an americana trying to do her part, too. (see http://10leaves.blogspot.com/2020/03/somewhere-over-rainbowtheres-italy.html). I wasn't confident about my construction skills on an oversized project, but nine days later the 15-foot rainbow that spans my driveway is still blowing in the wind. Had I thought on installation day that there would also be a dismantling day, production may have never begun.

Last week's rainbow from a new perspective.

I know I had this thought after 9/11 when I bought my tiny flag pin from a box of fifty cent items at an antique store.  People had their flags out and anchormen had their flags on and I wanted to join them.  But at that time I also remember wondering how and when someone would decide to stop displaying it. Do you just wake up one day and think, "Ok, it's been long enough"?  I can't remember if the fear of deciding when enough was enough actually kept me from wearing the pin.

Fortunately, I've never known anyone who's died in a fatal traffic accident, but I have the same thought every time I pass a roadside memorial.  Some day someone just stops bringing flowers.

I'm glad I didn't let these thoughts get in my way on rainbow-making day.  I'm happy to see it from my window as I write and to pass under it when I get home from a walk. It's not the same every day.  Different hours and different weather have an effect on my rainbow, just like they have an effect on you and me. 

The first week I sent photos of my installation to friends even though I never liked them (the photos, not the friends). My objective was to show its size and placement, but the photos had too much background noise. Nine days later I found a new perspective and saw that its colors were brighter, its details were clearer and it was smiling.

The coronavirus has forced all of us to look at life from a different perspective.  Hopefully in time yours will be brighter, clearer and filled with smiles.