Everything is beginning to blossom again—finally. As they sing, “When April showers may come your way, they bring the flowers that bloom in May.” I remember that line from a song that I used to sing when I was a child.
When we were children we used to sit out on the screened-in front porch on rainy April days and just pray that it would stop raining. We wanted play outside. Sometimes it got so bad that we couldn’t wait. We would put on our shorts and go running out into the rain. My mother wasn’t too crazy about that though. We quickly learned that she wasn’t through some miraculous form of mother communication, (something known as the holler) and we stopped. We still looked outside and waited though, and then somebody would begin to sing that song.
As we joined in we looked forward to the beautiful sunny days in May when we wouldn’t have to worry about the rain. We realized, even as children, that the rain had to come so that flowers could blossom. Little did we know at the time that that was the secret of life. Sometimes rain and hardship would have to come, so that we could blossom. This is usually the case with the beautiful (I mean on the inside) people we know. These people have usually been through the rain and the storms of life. They have had some type of hardship and they have survived without becoming angry and bitter. In their case it has brought forth the fruit of patience and kindness, instead of anger and resentment.
Anger and resentment comes, I think, when people who haven’t learned to sing the song are caught in the storms of life. They don’t realize that the fruit of love, beauty and strength will come about as a result of these hardships, if they will allow themselves to look forward to something beautiful at the end. If they are willing to become fully engaged with life again after the storm they will see the fruit themselves.
We used to just sit there and wait for the storm to pass when I was young, but as soon as the rain stopped we were ready. We would run out into the streets with pop- sickle sticks, use them as boats and hold races against each other in the water that was still running down the gutters. We used the rains that had been so horrible a few moments ago as something to derive pleasure from, even as we often use the traces of that which has caused us pain as a source of strength, courage, and empathy toward others who may be suffering. Suffering does not necessarily come so that it may bring out the good in people, but people can always, if they are willing, bring out the good in suffering.
This only happens, however, when we do as the second line of the song says: Just keep on looking for that sunshine and listen for its song, whenever April showers come along. As long as we can do this, we will always prosper. Whomever seeks joy, deep down within their heart, will find it.
Dr. John W. Gilmore, D. Min., received his Doctor of Ministry Degree in Work and Spirituality at University of Creation Spirituality in Oakland, CA. He is a writer of several books that liberate the soul, an ordained minister, a certified Easy Tai Chi instructor, a black belt and instructor in Jun Bao Kenpo for Health and Longevity, and is certified in many of the healing arts. Please visit our web-page at http://www.dswellness.com There you will find more articles like this in our free Practical Spirituality Journal and you will find a link to our cyber school where you can take our free stress reduction course, enjoy our Circle of Creation Centered Spirituality Cyber Service, or take one of our courses.
This weeks featured reading: Reclaiming the Religion of Jesus in a Modern Age: Called by the Sword of Truth, Dr. John W. Gilmore
