Yesterday my three-year-old granddaughter exclaimed “My favorite color is rainbow!” with the confidence of a wise sage. Her declaration was met with surprise and laughter. Having recently spent eleven days soaking in the magic and splendor of Venice, I now more fully appreciate the wisdom of Natalie’s enlightened color choice.
I adore water. Living on Manhattan Island, surrounded by water and enjoying a brisk swim six mornings each week, I was intrigued to be on a holiday surrounded by so much water. Heraclitus, an ancient Greek philosopher said, “No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and he’s not the same man.” 41 years after spending a couple of days in Venice on our honeymoon, Jacob and I returned to the city dubbed “La Serenissima” which means the most serene. And it surely was. We enjoyed eleven days meandering amidst the ethereal collection of 118 small islands connected by 400 bridges over a shallow lagoon. Since it’s illegal to swim in the canals, one relies on the network of 30 different vaporetto public water bus lines or private water taxis.
Throughout this vacation, I stumbled upon many signs and wonders, which is the point of departing from one’s home, routine, and work. We chose to come to Venice to attend the wedding of one of our son’s best friends.
The vacation was filled with magical synchronistic moments that enhanced its sparkle and joy. Watching 440 gondoliers serenade tourists as they glided their gondolas through the Grand Canal and smaller winding passageways, I recalled a unique experience from my college days and also from my honeymoon. The highlight of my junior semester abroad in London was when my mother joined me for a week-long holiday in Italy. While in Venice we walked for hours each day, ate lots of pasta and gelato, and took a gondola ride with a gondolier named Reno. See photo of mom below! Two years later, while on our honeymoon, Jacob and I were eating in a cafe as a gondola glided into view. I jumped up from my seat, enthusiastically waving my arms, and shouted “Buongiorno Reno!!!” He gazed across the piazza, smiled broadly, and waved back!
The first chance encounter to ignite this holiday transpired as I stood in line, ready to board the flight to Italy. A beautiful young woman immediately in front of me was carrying an enormous garment bag that suggested precious contents such as a wedding gown. Sure enough, when I asked if she was getting married, she and her dashing partner turned around and we enthusiastically hugged each other. It was Sophia and Jonny – the couple whose wedding we were going to be celebrating in a few days!
I’m someone who cries at sappy commercials and movies. So naturally, for me, weddings always evoke powerful emotions of joy, expansiveness, hope, and love. The moment the first musical note is heard, I start crying happy tears, envisioning a life of abundant health, blessings, and good things for the couple. Often, milestone moments in our lives can also kindle memories of loved ones who are no longer alive. A few weeks before the wedding, Susan, the mother of the groom, confided in me at a gathering that she hoped that she could “keep it together” without sobbing as she stood alongside the couple under the wedding canopy because both of her parents are no longer alive. I took her hand as I shared my story about having the same fear. My beloved brother and only sibling, Gary, died two years before my oldest son’s bar-mitzvah. I was worried that my grief over the loss of my brother would overpower the joy from my sons’ bar mitzvah. I also harbored the fear that, in the future, my sadness would dampen the joy of momentous family occasions such as both of my son’s weddings. However, because I cried out so many of my tears long before the actual celebrations occurred, I was able to be fully present and joyous at the time of the celebrations. When we feel a sense of loss or vulnerability, hearing someone else share their authentic experience enables us to feel seen, heard, and more hopeful. I assured Susan that her parents would make their presence known sometime during the weekend celebration in Venice. True love transcends time and space. Sure enough, two nights before the wedding, immediately after a gorgeous and quick summer rain shower, a magnificent rainbow appeared over the beach at Lido. Naturally, I was standing next to Susan the precise moment I noticed the rainbow. “Hey there, turn around, look over the sea…” I said as I pointed to the gift. “I think that’s the sign you were waiting for. Now you know that your parents are with you and will be there for you and your family at this significant occasion.” This reminded me of another auspicious rainbow that burst forth a year ago, the night before our son Josh’s wedding as Jacob and I were walking with our son. After a quick rain shower, we were walking back to the hotel when we spotted a rainbow bursting through the sky. I said a special thanks to my brother and my father for making their presence felt.
What is it about water that is so intriguing? The sound of water is mesmerizing as it trickles or flows. Bodies of water absorb long wavelengths of red and yellow sunlight and scatters shorter blue wavelengths resulting in a turquoise or blue tint. The sky adds to the majesty because the water acts like a mirror reflecting the expansive sky, thus enhancing the blue palette.
Perhaps Natalie was onto something after all. Maybe our favorite color really is rainbow—the shimmering convergence of every color, every memory, every unexpected encounter, and every moment of love and connection. Venice reminded me that when we slow down and pay attention, life is constantly offering us signs, surprises, and beauty. Sometimes all we need to do is notice.
So, until the next adventure, I’ll keep my eyes open, my heart receptive, and my bags packed. Magic, water, and gelato—Bring it on!