“It’s been so long since we’ve had a rainbow,” I said to my wife as we drove out to the field to feed and water our flock of sheep.

“Yes. A long time between bows,” I repeated.

We had both been searching for rainbows because of the ‘god-light’ in the rain spattered late afternoon. It was “two fingers” till sunset, perfect conditions for a rainbow.

But I might have missed the greatest rainbow of my life. Why? Because the spectacle was tied to a lowly chore–tending the flock.

It was end of day. So tired. Elaine had offered to do the chores alone. She sensed I was reluctant to do them.  We had been moving electric fencing every 2-3 days for eight months and feeding and watering and watching over every day .  Plus, we had been doing this together for over 30 years.  Weary doesn’t even describe my feelings that day.

I don’t know why, but I changed my mind.  I told here, “It’s not fair to not help.” So we did it together.

I still was not attending to our work, still balking a bit at the needful work when Elaine exclaimed, “Oh!  It’s a rainbow!”

And oh, what a bow.

It had the steepest arc of any I had ever witnessed, like a protective bubble over our farm. Then it morphed into a double bow. I could have missed it all because it lasted only half an hour.  It was a potent reminder that sometimes a chore comes with a surprise, a bow you cannot unknot, chores and joy tied together, a joyous Mobius bow.

 

Here is a poem that arose from the story.

 

Just a reminder:

Sometimes a chore

comes bound

with a surprise,

a rainbow

you cannot pull and untie,

chores and joys

knitted up

in a Mobius twist

of memory

and delight.

 

And a visual with text.

 

 

This isn’t an admonition.  It’s a recognition.