My First Rainbow

While watching the film "Nomadland" yesterday, I was moved by a particular scene. An older woman was telling a story about a time when she was canoeing on a lake as still as a mirror. There, she witnessed a flock of water foul takeoff before her, and because of a clear reflection, it looked as if the birds were both overhead and underneath her. She said that, for a moment, it felt like she was flying.

That scene reminded me of the time when I saw my first rainbow. I must have been 12-14 years old. My family was vacationing in the town of Kalam in Northern Pakistan.

Kalam sits 2,001 meters above sea level, nestled in a valley, surrounded by the mighty Hindu Kush mountain range.

One evening, we were playing by the side of a mountain. Thick clouds covered the peaks. Then, a few minutes before sunset, clouds cleared, and the mountain peaks became visible. That's when I saw my first rainbow. It was wedged between two sides of a mountain, in an almost vertical valley.

We went on the trip to hike, try out new food, fish, etc. Witnessing a rainbow was not on the agenda. Nevertheless, it was a magical moment that will forever remain engraved in my memory.

You may have a well-defined concept of what success looks. And you may be striving relentlessly to achieve it. But don't forget, the universe has its own plans, and its version of your success might be grander than anything you can possibly imagine.

So all you need to worry about in the present is to be at the right place, at the right time, with the right attitude. But most importantly, don't forget to look up!