There’s lots of beautiful scenery in Utah as you drive down Interstate 15 but that one part of my trip didn’t have any. Just flat, dry desert and sagebrush. Sure, there’s the odd building or two, but nothing you’d want to stay in. Well, except maybe for that trailer sitting there just off the highway.
No pot of gold or leprechaun lives there, but all the same, everyday when the sun is shining, there’s a rainbow that ends right at the trailer, visible from any angle. What causes it? Beats me. No one goes near, though. Something happens if you try. It gets harder, like walking through water until it’s like walking through rock.
I drive to Southern Utah to visit Mom sometimes. She’s not doing so well. Dementia, you see. She’s the only one who knows why there’s a rainbow over that trailer, though.
“That’s the entrance to Heaven, Jimmy. That’s where your Dad went when he passed.”
I didn’t believe her but then I looked into her eyes. There were rainbows in them.
I wrote this for the FFfAW Challenge for the Week of January 16, 2018 hosted by Priceless Joy. The idea is to use the image at the top of the page to inspire you to author a piece of flash fiction between 100 and 175 words long. My word count is 174.
That desert could easily be found in some parts of Utah and most parts of Nevada and I have made the trip to Mom’s more than a few times. I didn’t want to write about leprechauns or pots of gold, so I had to think of another treasure. Fortunately, the answer presented itself.
To read other stories based on the prompt, go to InLinkz.com.
Rainbows have a strange power the takes us places. Maybe some of those places are beyond our normal vision. Great spin on the image
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Thanks. Many years ago my wife and I were driving north on Interstate 5 in California and we passed right by the end of a rainbow. I can confirm there was no gold, but it was a neat experience.
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I waited awhile to get this shot. As you can see there is nothing for miles. Awesome sites to see
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Where is it really? It does look like it could be in the Southwestern U.S.
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Big Bend National Park. It was on US385 between Panther Junction & An area called Dagger Flats North of the park’s Village/HQ
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Thanks for that. Looks like an interesting place.
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It is one of the best kept secrets of the National Parks. Even with 3 million acres and unbelievably obvious location, its too far from El Paso or San Antonio for the average person. Its a hikers dream with some easy canyon hikes on the Rio Grande
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A beautiful read. Reminds me of Bardo state and rainbow body phenomenon.
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Thanks, yarnspinnerr. I had to look up “Bardo” and though I’ve only skimmed the material, it seems really interesting. Maybe I’ll explore it in a story.
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I shall look forward to it. 🙂
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In doing a bit of casual Googling, I found this is a complex issue and I have several ideas of how to apply it, but I need a bit of direction. Do you have any resources you’d recommend for the novice, particularly of the journey or transition a person makes between death and rebirth? Thanks.
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I have no special knowledge. Just what most Hindus know. Garuna purana is the book that deals with death and after life (if you can get a translation). I used a crude version of this theme in FFfaw’s post this week.
I shall be happy to answer any specific queries in case I can. 🙂
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Let me do some more online looking. I don’t necessarily have to become an expert for what I have in mind, but I do need to be able to construct a viable template of a spiritual journey. Thanks.
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Hi James, Here is a link to an English translation of the Garuda Purana (about which yarnspinnerr wrote) on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Garuda-Purana-Great-Epics-India-ebook/dp/B01L465QMU/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1516163885&sr=8-6&keywords=Garuda+Puran
And here’s the wiki page on the Purana: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garuda_Purana
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Thanks for that. I’ll have a look when I get the bandwidth. Cheers.
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Rainbows in mum’s eyes…. that is so romantic
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Because of the word count limit, I couldn’t write about what happens next but does this enable her to see Heaven and Dad?
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It’s given her the faith to cross over peacefully. That in itself is something.
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What have you spun with a simple rainbow. Marvelous story.
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Thanks, Neel.
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I like the idea pf rainbows being portals to different worlds. Touching story there too James.
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Anything’s a portal if you have an imagination, Iain. Thanks.
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So Mom is on the way?
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No, she’s still with us. Yes, she has dementia but physically she’s doing pretty good for 85. Looks like she’ll be moving into a senior center pretty soon. At first she really resisted it but now she’s looking forward to it. She’s pretty social and I think she gets lonely living alone now that Dad’s gone.
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Good to know that. Cheers to her and family!
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I wanted to use a leprechaun in my story, but I could not get my brain to spell the word. So a goblin had to do instead. I very much liked your idea of rainbows being a conduit.
Last year very reluctantly we placed my mother in law in a nursing home. Now we wished that we had done it sooner. Because twenty four hour simulation has helped to keep her centred. Even though sadly it seems the dementia continues to progress. Dementia robs a individual of very many of the skills they used to occupy themselves when alone. Although my mother in law still seems to love music.
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My wife has been doing a lot of research on dementia and in some cases it can be slowed down through certain medications and nutrition and in other cases, at least in theory, it can be reversed. My Mom is pretty stubborn about what she’ll eat let alone what she’ll believe.
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Very heart touching story! Sounds like she is about ready to die and join her husband. Great story, James!
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That indeed is one possible interpretation. Thanks.
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I like this from top to bottom. I like the reasons why you can’t reach the trailer. I like that you knew the mother was about to pass because she has rainbows in her eyes. This is a really smart story no matter how you look at it.
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Thank you. Sometimes these little contests can yield a gem or two.
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Awn… That’s nice. I really liked the story. Beautiful!
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Thank you.
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What a lovely tale. Truly, you can find many heavens in the colors of a rainbow if you look with an open mind and an open heart!
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Thanks again.
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Made me believe that its almost true. But I am sure every mother has a “rainbow” in her eyes!
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That was a very sweet thing to say, Anagha. Thanks.
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I really like this. Well done James.
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Thanks, Chad.
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So sad an so well done. Very poetic.
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Thank you.
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Beautiful.
Ellespeth
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Thank you, Ellespeth.
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