The image of the rainbow is one I have always loved, starting in childhood with the Care Bears stare, to watching Rainbow Brite, and the story Jason and his technicolour dream coat. The wonderful array of colours, it’s nice to see. And I will admit, I have been rather sick of it recently. Glancing away from it every time I see a police car painted as it, or zebra crossing, or fire engine. Seeing it purely as a waste of money and thinking rather sour thoughts when looking at it. And then associating it with other rainbow representations which seem to have taken to being put in our faces at every opportunity. And while internally whinging about the fire engine the other day, it suddenly struck me how negative I felt towards it, the rainbow. Something that has always been represented previously as positive, magical and bright, was now being used anywhere and everywhere, but in the wrong context, to me anyway.

And I wondered, if there really could be anything in it. That rainbows are a representation of light and good, but you have to be of a good heart to make it work (cue the care bears idea), so by making people feel negative towards it, it can create more negativity. This is a rather new thought and idea, which is still forming by the way, so may seem quite out there initially, but wanted to give thought to the different references towards rainbows.

The Greek Goddess Iris – she was the goddess of the rainbow, and the messenger of the Olympian Gods. But more specifically, was known as the personal messenger and handmaiden of Hera, the goddess of marriage, women and family. It seems there is great need for Hera at the moment, in many parts of the world.

Bifrost – If you have seen the Marvel films of Thor you will know this reference, but it actually is written into Norse mythology where most of the information comes from for Odin, Thor and Asgard. Frost giants, mystical lands and legends, and a rainbow bifrost, which connects the different lands of the realm.

A double rainbow appeared in London at a timely moment recently on the day the queen died, which showed in full over Buckingham Palace.

A photo/video circulating of a shadow of a plane on clouds, with a complete circle of rainbow around the shadow. Very cool, but a bit weird to look at.

It’s theorised that rainbows are in fact a reflection of the firmament dome that we are encased in, and that’s why it always appears as a dome or circular shaped to us, like a snow globe I guess.

Either way, and whatever it really represents, I still get excited when I see one in the sky and will try and make more effort to not be put off by them in other walks of life.

(c) K Wicks