What is a rainbow mum? That was the question a three year old boy asked his mum when they were outside the wee farm cottage at West Meikle Pinkerton after his mum had said ‘oh look at the rainbow’. The reply to her son’s question was simply ‘they are magical’. That was my first ever memory of a rainbow roughly 53 years ago, a memory that has lived with me since that day. Yes, mum could have gone into the full on scientific explanation but it would have been wasted on a three year old, I would have stood there with a glazed look. Instead I was captivated with the colours so bright so vivid. It was a proper rainbow, a full arc stretching from East Meikle Pinkerton over Pinkerton Hill and beyond. We would probably be heading down to East Barns School to get my brother and sister and all the others from both West and East Meikle Pinkerton (a round trip of roughly 4 miles)
Rainbows are indeed magical, rainbows are like a fresh and new beginning after the rain has cleansed the air, land and atmosphere the sun comes out and there is that distinctive aroma in the air the aroma of summer rain and warm earth. One of the things that gives me a lift and puts a smile on my face during this period of strange and unusual circumstance are all of the pictures of rainbows appearing in windows, mostly where there are children in the house, but there are some exceptions 🤔😀😀 why not! I am reminded of that day all those years ago when I remember my first rainbow.
It was the same on June 22nd 2018 standing in the church waiting, waiting for the beautiful bride to come and join me on our wedding day. It was an emotional time and countless memories were escaping from the corner of my eyes and tumbling down my cheeks. I was focusing on the rainbow on the cloth draped over the lectern next to the pulpit the other cloth had the white dove. Emotional? Well, weddings are indeed an emotional time and this was no exception. Just over a year before, the person who explained to me what a rainbow was had peacefully slipped away with her family by her side. Whilst it was emotional waiting for Jane to arrive I took a great deal of comfort from seeing that rainbow – I saw it as another sign that mum was watching and guiding me.
So when Rob came through to the Easter Rd Hall one Sunday morning looking for a volunteer to decorate a dove (to display while the church was being used as a Fringe venue), I wanted to volunteer straight away. However being a newby on the scene, I was respectful enough to give the regular and more seasoned members an opportunity first. I was delighted (inwardly) that there were no takers as I pretty much knew what I wanted to do, perhaps not exactly as it turned out but that was my general idea of something to encompass the Dove of peace and the magic of the Rainbow with that feeling of renewal.
Now many of you will have seen the colourful dove up next to the cross and you will have heard most of this story before, when I explained my reasoning for decorating the dove the way I did. It is a tribute to my mum, I used some of her paints (mum liked to dabble with painting and the paints were from a box I had given her) it was also the idea of marrying up those two drapes on the lecterns, the dove and the rainbow, although I didn’t have a set idea on how it would turn out it I was extremely happy with the way it turned and I feel a small sense of pride when I look up to the cross and see ‘Joe the amazing technicoloured dove’ watching over us. I do smile and wonder what Noah would have made of a multi coloured dove returning to the ark.
Rainbows they can lift the heart and put a smile on our faces.
Thank you Roddie for that lovely and very personal piece of writing.
It was indeed very uplifting to see the Rainbows appearing in all the windows back in 2020. Thanks for sharing the story of the dove and the inspiration behind it.
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