I was sitting in the parlor one summer afternoon just watching the storm outside the window. When the storm stopped there appeared the most beautiful rainbow. Just contemplating, I noticed the rainbow touched the ground just at the edge of the woods where we often went to gather May Apples in the spring.
My brother Rex was sitting propped up in a chair beside me. He was just recovering from a severe illness and we were just sitting and watching the storm. “Did you know Sadie, that at the end of the rainbow there is a big pot of gold.” “Is that true?” “Definitely, at the end of the rainbow there is a pot of gold.” I dashed out the front door, I had to find that pot of gold.
I paid no attention to the wet grass, and my frock was getting soiled, but on I went. I was going to find that rainbow. I was planning the fine presents I would give the entire family with my gold. How would I ever carry that heavy pot of gold? The way grew swampy, and then I had to figure out how to cross a stream, but all the time I never lost sight of where the end of that rainbow had been.
But when I got there the rainbow was not there, it was somewhere ahead so I set out again. Then it got wet and swampy and still l struggled on. I met a porcupine and ran for dear life to get away from it. In my fright I forgot to keep my eye on the rainbow, and now I could not find it. The rainbow had completely vanished from sight. I began to cry for now the pot of gold of which I was searching was gone.
So now I turned and began my journey back home, but my troubles were just beginning. I was lost! I had no idea what any direction was, or which direction I had come from. By now I was hopelessly lost in the woods. I began to cry out, but of course no one could hear me. I was wet, cold, and miserable. I sat on a log because I was afraid of going further away from home. I sat for what seemed like hours and it was getting cold, but then I heard a voice calling my name.
I was afraid to answer, because I knew there were Indians in the area and they were very clever. Then I heard a voice that sounded like my older brother that had moved away from home. I hadn’t seen him for months and that couldn’t possibly have been him, so I stayed hidden under a log.
Then someone came standing on the log right above me. He called out the nickname he had given me years ago, so I realized this was my brother. I jumped out and grabbed him by the leg and nearly scared him to death. He kissed me and took my hand and we began our journey back home. On the way we found my other brother looking for me and the three of us rejoiced together.
I had been away 3 hours, and wandered miles from home. My oldest brother Robert had come for a visit and when he didn’t find me he was the one that instigated the search. When we got home brother Ben apologized profusely. He was just kidding when he talked about the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
My mother said that rainbow is a symbol of God’s love for us. He is bending over us from the skies. Instead of a pot of gold we have God’s love and his promise of treasures laid up in heaven which is far better than silver or gold.
—James Neuhouser
