Chasing Rainbows
Shannon Knight: Chasing Rainbows
Chasing Rainbows
Finding Hope in the Wyoming Skies
There’s something magical about rainbows—how they quietly appear just when you need them most, like a love letter in the heavens from God. To me, they’re a letter of hope, reminding me that happiness awaits. Sometimes, we have to chase that happiness, to seek it out amidst the storm, but it’s always there. Since I was a child, I’ve been fascinated by rainbows. I remember pressing my cheek against the cool windowpane on rainy days, watching as droplets raced each other down the glass. I would search the sky, waiting for the sun to break through the clouds and reveal the glorious rainbow I always longed to see. That belief—that something beautiful was always waiting beyond the storm—stayed with me all my life.
One late summer afternoon in June of 2024, rainbows took on a deeper meaning for me.
That day, I had received gut-wrenching news. It was an afternoon unlike any other, where everything felt too heavy, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t shake the melancholy. It was raining outside, and I knew if I sat out on the porch to feel the coolness of the weather, it might change my disposition. My husband sat with me on the front porch swing. As we sat together, I took long, slow breaths to capture the heightened scent as the rain released the fresh smell of the earth, flowers, grass, and trees. I felt a hint of exhilaration trying to grab hold of me, the cool breeze with its mist attempting to lift my spirits. There was a buzzing charge in the air, the smell so strong it stirred childhood memories. But as the rain poured down, the sadness only seemed to deepen, and I couldn’t hold back my tears.
I turned to Michael, my voice quiet but full of frustration, “Honey, I just don’t want to feel like this anymore today.” The swing creaked as we gently rocked back and forth, the sound only adding to the dreariness of the moment. I took a deep breath, my heart heavy with sadness, and then I opened up. “I’ve been praying to God, asking Him to lift this sadness. I know my faith is there, but how long will it take for this pain to end? My heart feels so broken.” I paused and then asked, “Do we have to grieve to truly appreciate happiness? Because if that’s the case, I need to find it—I’m ready to feel joy again.”
Michael listened quietly, his steady presence comforting me. He’s always been the kind of man to sit with me, even if that was all he had to offer. He holds my hand and never makes me feel bad about moments like this. After a while of silence and tears, an idea sparked—a glimmer of hope in the middle of all the heaviness. “Do you want to go find a rainbow?” I asked. “I’ll bet God will reveal one to us since it’s almost sunset.”
Michael smiled knowingly, sensing that this was exactly what I needed. The thought of chasing something as elusive and full of promise as a rainbow stirred something in me—a flicker of hope I hadn’t felt all day. Michael is the kind of man who’s ready for an adventure with me, no matter what we’re searching for. Whether it’s wildflowers, an eagle soaring through the sky, or spotting deer in the distance, Michael is always willing to join me in the thrill of the hunt. It’s one of the things I love most about him—he has an inner knowledge that an adventure together would reveal magic, even in the saddest moments.
So, we hopped in the truck, full of hope and faith, not knowing where we were going, just following the winding Wyoming country roads, chasing the sky and looking for that quiet sign of beauty that often comes when we least expect it.
I rolled down the window, letting the fresh, rain-soaked air fill the truck as we drove. The breeze felt exhilarating against my face, as if nature itself was trying to lift my spirits. Michael put on some music—classic rock and country, a mix of Stevie Nicks, Journey, Keith Urban, and our usual road-trip songs. The music blended perfectly with the rhythm of the rain, and for the first time that day, I felt my heart lighten a little.
As we drove, memories from my childhood came back once more, bringing with them a renewed sense of hope. I thought back to those rainy days when I would sit by my bedroom window, filled with optimism, always knowing I would find a rainbow after the storm. The hope of seeing something beautiful after the rain had stayed with me my entire life. And now, as we drove through the mist, I felt that same childhood hope stir within me once again, making my heart feel lighter. The sadness I had been carrying all day began to dissipate, and I felt a sense of hope and happiness.
There’s something about having someone who loves you, right by your side, sharing that same anticipation. Michael and I kept our eyes on the horizon, searching together for that break in the clouds, waiting for the elusive splash of color that would signal the end of the storm. And then, just as we turned a corner on that quiet country dirt road, there it was—a perfect rainbow arching across the sky, its colors more vivid than I could’ve imagined. I didn’t hide my excitement. I said, “I knew we would find one, I just knew it.” That faith and hope is what we all need in our lives. We have to remember how often we’ve held onto faith and how it never ceases to come through, revealing what we need to see.
As I gazed at that rainbow, I was reminded of a scripture about God’s promise in Genesis 9:13: “I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth.”
Rainbows, to me, really are love letters in the heavens from God—a letter of hope, reminding us that happiness is waiting. And on this particular day, it felt like God had sent that rainbow to remind me that He was with me, that joy was on the horizon.
Since then, “chasing rainbows” has become a symbol for me—a reminder that sometimes, we have to seek out hope. It’s not always handed to us. Whether it’s in the sky after a rainstorm or in the quiet moments when life feels too heavy, hope is always out there waiting. You just have to be willing to chase it once in a while.
