Without the rain there would be no rainbow

I am currently taking part in the Cancer Research UK ‘Walk all over cancer’ fundraiser, walking 10,000 steps every day in March.  With loosing dad less than 2 years ago, it feels like a really good thing to do, raising awareness and money for such important work.

However, it is turning out to be quite an emotional time.  Taking the time out each day to get my steps in, when its with friends or family is lovely as you get a chance to natter along the way, but when its walking by myself, it’s very natural for my thoughts to gravitate towards my dad.

It’s the second week now and up until now the sun has been shining and the walks have been glorious, today was definitely not the same. Hailstones and strong winds were my walking partners, coupled with very sharp pains in my hips.  But non the less I put my layers on, zipped up my duvet-like coat and drove to the lovers retreat river walk.

I was, quite understandably, the only one on the river path so I was quite free to start laughing at the thought of me out in this crazy weather.  The more I laughed the more free my hips felt and I started thinking about dad and happy times when we were young.

When my baby brothers (twin boys) were born, dad used to sing them the old children’s hymn ‘Jesus loves me’…. So I started to hum it too and then knowing (hoping) no one else was about I started to sing it out loud.

There’s a line in it that says, “little ones to Him belong, they are weak but He is strong”.   I felt very much like a ‘little one’, with my weak, painful body and my up and down emotional state this month so far, remembering dad so often and thinking so much about him and how things ended for him… I got quite teary, feeling quite lost and found at the same time, if that makes sense, only to look up to dry my eyes and see a beautiful rainbow adorning the sky.

It was just like a big hug from heaven and I believe from my dad.

Life can be so very tough, and we can feel so weak, but to have that assurance, whether it’s the love in your life, your faith, whatever it is that makes your days worthwhile and meaningful, hold on to that and hold on tight, especially on the rough days.

Wishing you lots of beautiful rainbows to brighten up your skies and hearts,

Love,

Sarah x