On the Minister's Mind

by Rev. Laine Morgan

Rainbows seem to appear everywhere in June as we celebrate Pride Month. I had been considering what I might write about Pride when I came across a quote from Maya Angelou that immediately captured my attention:

"Try to be a rainbow in someone else's cloud."

A rainbow is created when light passes through a raindrop, revealing a beautiful spectrum of colors that was always present but hidden from view. What if one of our highest spiritual callings is to enter someone's cloudy moment and allow the Light of the Divine to shine through us, bringing beauty, hope, and comfort? That idea speaks deeply to me.

Have you ever noticed how the right person sometimes appears at exactly the right moment? Often, they don't need to say anything at all. Their presence alone changes the atmosphere. They walk into a room carrying a sense of peace, kindness, or encouragement, and somehow things feel lighter. Sometimes these people are dear friends, and sometimes they are complete strangers.

Think about those who have been rainbows in your life. Perhaps it was the friend who saved you a seat when you felt alone in a crowded room. Maybe it was the traveler who helped lift your suitcase into the overhead bin. It could have been the nurse who offered gentle encouragement when you were exhausted, the trusted confidant who listened without judgment, or the family member who received difficult news with acceptance and love.

Each of us experiences clouds. Some are fleeting, while others are heavy with grief, uncertainty, or emotional rain that must eventually fall. When we notice the clouds gathering around someone else, we have an opportunity. We may not be able to solve their problems or remove their pain, but we can be a rainbow. We can become a channel through which Spirit's light shines, creating a moment of beauty in the midst of difficulty.

When we allow ourselves to be instruments of the Divine, we are often called into places where clouds already exist. The blessing is that we never enter those spaces empty-handed. We carry the Light with us wherever we go.

And that is something to be proud of.