Through the past few months of struggle and strain, anxiety and aching in my heart; I continue to trudge through what’s left of the metaphorical rainstorm I found myself in. The sun has finally come out and the last few raindrops of residual stress are draining away. Through the retreating clouds, a beautiful rainbow of hope and happiness has appeared to me, and I realise the worst is over. Life is good regardless; if one takes the time to see the beauty in the rain, the rolling thunder, even the lightning and dreary days. Sure, it may be tough going through that storm, enduring it, and braving the face of danger and adversity that comes our way in life. However, there are always positives and days to enjoy the rain, despite our grumbles and groans on our circumstances at the time.
I have always loved this depiction of the difficult times we go through in life. Not long ago I had been inspiring a couple of friends to not give up, to keep on moving forward positively, and to look for the lessons we can learn through all our experiences in the storms of life (the good and the bad, especially the bad!). Yet I was unaware that my own storm was to begin rolling over the hills of my not-too-distant future. Encouraging my friends and sister to keep focused and happy was one thing, yet another when you yourself are suddenly going through the same things! It is tough to go through any kind of stress at work, relationships or sickness (be it your own or that of a loved one). Three of the greatest stresses in life, and we found ourselves right in the middle of all of them.
The beauty of a rainstorm is not only relishing in the washing away of all the dirt, muck and grittiness that surrounds us in our lives – yet it is in that cleansing and renewal that we need to place our focus. Everything in life happens for a reason, and we need sunny days as well as rainy ones. It is at times like these, that we need the unnecessary and destructive things washed away, including harsh and disparaging jobs, false and disloyal friends (or partners), overcoming health concerns… We must get our focus back on track and do away with anything that doesn't contribute to our happiness or add any kind of value to our lives. Change can be good – embrace it.
And once the roaring rain subsides, the clouds of despair scatter into nothingness, and the beautiful warmth of the sun emerge once more; your very own rainbow will appear for you to appreciate and adore. The end is near, just keep strong whilst marching on through it – with hope in your heart, and a smile on your face. Like everything in life, troubles and hardship are just temporary. Let’s all be thankful and grateful for this truth every day.
