Reflections from My Lanai

We can learn a lot from watching the sky. This morning, I watched a thunderstorm form and pass by. In about an hour, the sky grew dark; thunder rumbled in the distance; and, the wind picked up, rustling the lily pads in the marsh. Then, a clap of thunder, a flash of lightning, and the rain. For about 60 seconds as the black clouds moved from north to south, the sun’s rays broke through the clouds. I didn’t have time to go for my “big girl” camera, but I had my cell phone at hand. Within the next half-hour, the rain stopped and the sky cleared.

I am sure you can see in these images, a metaphor for life’s storms, and the fact that storms are passing events. In describing the details of this passing storm this morning, three ideas occurred to me: 1) we sometimes see storms as they are forming, yet are powerless to stop them; 2) in the midst of a moving storm, we often see glimpses of God and find reassurance that the sun is always there; and 3) we need to be ready if we are to receive these images and blessings. Sometimes it is enough to receive the image, that is, to be aware of the experience and think about it; at other times, we are compelled to record the image, for example, to make a photograph, as a reminder during the next storm.