Rainbow portent

It may be silly, but I like believing in "signs". Especially if they fit an already existing pattern. Last night I attended a sort of summer party with my department in spite of a bad weather forecast. We had some delicious seafood and wine and then went outdoors for a game of darts (for the first time in my life, every dart I threw hit the dart board but that's not the sign) when I noticed the rain had stopped. We were done and went back indoors just as the weather turned bad again for the rest of the games (ring toss). Later, we went back out to walk down to the shore and see our host's boat house (the summer party was in his cabin a mere 20 minutes from Bergen).

Clouds and wind and sunshine and rain came and went in quick succession, but every time we ventured out on one of the rainiest days of the week, we had a break in the weather. As we returned from the boathouse, we saw a double rainbow. "Rain will start soon," said one of my co-workers since that's what double rainbows herald. The drops started hitting the ground just as we all were only a few feet from the cabin.

It was a gorgeous double rainbow, and the strongest rainbow touched down in the fjord where we had just had a direct view from the boathouse. We were a bit awestruck at that. After we were back inside the cabin, I said that we had always had the best luck on our gatherings, and the fact that we'd had it now, was proof to me that we were still blessed, and still meant to carry on. When asked if I would accept the other job if offered, I said I wouldn't.

Somewhat more sober this morning, I found myself regretting that claim. After some musing about it, I realized that it isn't the job per se I want; it's the change, the newness. I love the sort of change that gives me positive challenges and I love any opportunity to learn new things. But there may be that opportunity, anyway. Even if we all stay with the department and the department survives beyond the three years, the current attitude is that we will eventually be made redundant and HR is interested in helping us get training that will help us in other jobs. I said to my co-workers that we should use that to our advantage, since we are not expected to take courses directly related to our current jobs. We have the freedom to explore all kinds of things.

It's going to be a very interesting three years, and I think they will be good.

Comments

Anonymous said…
So the rainbow made the decision for you - a day before the summer solstice it might have indeed been a sign (I go with the moon anyway, so it would have been the summer solstice, no?)
And I think, like you said, you will have quite some challenges coming in the next three years in the department you are in!
Take care!
Keera Ann Fox said…
I'd never let a rainbow make a decision for me. I just saw it as symbolic confirmation that the decision made was a good one. A bit like how a Disney movie would end. ;-)

Summer solstice = the sun at its northernmost position as seen from Earth before heading back south. Nothing lunar there, though the moon was full yesterday.

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