the rainbow

I was at a family wedding on the top of a mountain in Pennsylvania this past weekend. It was the first family gathering where all of my immediate family was together since Jake’s passing almost nine years ago. It was bittersweet to see my daughter as maid of honor for her cousin, and sad for me to think about all the milestones Jake was not here for physically any longer. The weekend started out beautiful, but as ceremony time approached, showers sprinkled on and off. I said to the bride to be that I was hoping Jake, her cousin, would send us a rainbow to bless her special day. The ceremony took place outside with breathtaking views, but no rainbow. Later on at the wedding while we were all sitting down for dinner, someone yelled to look outside. We ran out together as a family and lo and behold, painted over the mountain there was a perfectly full double rainbow on display spanning across the sky. At that exact moment a song that Jake loved as a little boy and reminds me of him was playing loudly in the background. I literally gasped and began sobbing tears of joy. We all hugged and cried together as a family, absorbing the beauty and magic of the moment. I am so incredibly grateful and thankful for Jake to know exactly how and when to make his presence known. This was a moment that lifted my heart and was once again a reminder that our loved ones love to let us know they are especially close for these special family occasions.