Wednesday, May 10, 2006

Rainy day became a sunny day

I'm not sure why I want to share this story with you. The
motivation certainly isn't to make myself look better. And
in fact, I hesitate to share these stories for that reason.I may
not know you and I do not have any attachment to what you do
or do not think of me. But it's just a little story about
for 2 people anyway, how a rainy day became a sunny day.
And how a rainy day never has to be any less glorious than a
sunny day. It's all about how you choose for it to be!

Driving the kids to school this morning at 8 am there was a light but
cold Spring rain. Taking our first right a few blocks from our
home I noticed a woman sitting on the bench waiting for the
bus. She did not have an umbrella but she did have a hood.
She appeared to possibly be a refugee as there are more
and more in our community from Kenya, Sudan, and etc.
She was dressed in a simple dress, work boot like shoes and
bobbie socks and a light spring coat. I said to the kids "Oh, I
feel bad for her having to sit in the rain!" to which my daughter
replied "Maybe she doesn't mind Mom" True, maybe she's just
happy to be safe and to be free but DRY, safe and free is even
better! I dropped them off and drove back home to get ready
for work. And wouldn't you know she was STILL sitting there?
I looked in my van for an umbrella but couldn't find one. I
remembered I had one tucked in the entry closet but by the
time I find it I thought, surely she'll be gone! I went home and
showered, ate my breakfast and played with our Lab then headed
out for work running a bit late at about 5 minutes after 9.
I happened to be going in the same direction as before. I was
completely blown away to see the woman still sitting on the
bench in the now steady, unceasing pouring rain. I decided to
turn around and go look for the umbrella. I opened the entry closet
and found it right away. It was a childrens Spiderman umbrella but
who cares, it will do the trick I thought. I drove back, parked the
car and walking up behind the bench do you know what I heard?
I'll never forget it. I heard her humming and singing lightly!
After sitting in the steady rain for an hour! Temperature in the
40s! I opened the umbrella and she smiled and I pointed to her
and I said "I'd like you to have this" and she said loudly "Thank
you!" as she smiled even broader. And I walked back to my van-
teary eyed and overcome with Joy and slight dismay at myself
that it took me so long to do this simple act of kindness. She turned
back as if stunned and I waved. Now I will be so happy when I
see her in the rain with her Spiderman Umbrella. It continued to
rain all day. I told my son I hope you do not mind as I told him
that I had given away his Spiderman Umbrella. He smiled and
was teary eyed and said "Oh No Mom that's the best thing you
could have ever done with my Spiderman Umbrella!"
It is still raining now and it is evening. I could not
help but think of her all day. And how much use just today she
got out of this umbrella! And how much I hoped that I hope I had
warmed her heart as much as she warmed mine
with her happiness.....
singing
in the rain.

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