I used to joke that the state motto of South Dakota should be “All four seasons every day!” It certainly seemed like the weather could change in a matter of minutes, with bright sunshine and snow sharing the same hour. There were days when temperatures varied widely with sudden plunges or sudden increases in temperature. The Black Hills are home to some pretty impressive records for the amount of change in a given amount of time and for the amount of change in a relatively short distance. We lived ten miles from the church in South Dakota and often it seemed like the weather in the two locations was very different.

We were having one of those “All four seasons” days here yesterday. Actually the temperature variations weren’t very impressive. What was happening is that small rain squalls were rolling in from the sea. It would rain for a few minutes and then that small squall would pass and the sun would come out. At one point, we were helping our grandchildren get into their car to go on an adventure at their house. I was getting soaking wet as I fumbled with the seat belt for the youngest one. Then they headed out with their father in their car and we got into ours and headed home. By the time we got the couple of miles home, it was sunny at home and I decided to unload some compost that I had in the back of the truck. By the time I got the compost unloaded I was steaming. My clothes were wet and I was a bit overheated. It turned out to be a three pair of slacks day. I changed from those jeans to another pair and before the end of the day I had donned a third pair. I have good rain gear, but it doesn’t work if you don’t wear it and it feels silly to don rain gear when it is bright and sunny outside at the moment.

The surges in the weather gave us a few late afternoon glimpses at rainbows. The terrain and the angle of the sun is different here than it was in South Dakota. In South Dakota we often got dramatic full-sky rainbows as storms moved off to the east in the late afternoon. The sun in the west illuminated the water vapor in the air against the dark background of clouds moving off to the east. Here we are less likely to see the full bow. We will see one side of it, or part of it descending from the clouds. Yesterday we were seated to a bow that appeared to almost reach the waters of the bay. The angle of the sun varies a great deal from season to season around here and during the winter it appears to be in the south as it makes its arc across the sky. The partial rainbow was northeast instead of being directly east and it made a fun visual reference as we walked down to the beach yesterday afternoon. We were walking a bit later than usual due to other activities of the day.

As I gazed at our peaceful bay and relished in the beauty of the place life has take us, I couldn’t help but think about those whose lives are so terribly disrupted by war. I don’t know what the weather was in Ukraine or Israel yesterday. One rarely gets weather reports from war zones. I imagine that in the dust and rubble of war’s destruction days must all seem to be gray even if the sun is shining. I have never, however, lived in the midst of a war - at least I have never lived in the place of war.

Although winter can be rainy in Jerusalem and the West Bank, the forecast for the week to come is for sunny skies and high temperatures in the 70s and 80s. It would be ideal weather for tourist visits to the region, though tourism cannot be the focus of the locals who are caught up in a terrible war with far too many civilian casualties. Each day brings new policies and decisions by others that affect the lives of those living there. Residents of the West Bank who thought they might be able to leave yesterday encountered a closed gate. Those who were in line to leave today will likely be bumped by those who thought they could leave yesterday. Meanwhile convoys of trucks carrying medical supplies, food, and other relief get stalled at the border and the amount of goods traveling into Gaza is far less than what is needed. Basics like food and water are in short supply.

Temperatures are a bit cooler in Ukraine this week, with partly cloudy skies forecast for every day. Rain appears to be about a week out, but it is coming. Daytime highs should be in the upper 50s, which is warmer than typical for late fall. Fortunately for soldiers and civilians displaced by the war overnight temperatures remain above freezing. Warm temperatures are welcome when you are faced to sleep out of doors. Still, I imagine that gray days don’t do much to lift the spirits. Among other things, the war in Israel has drawn attention away from Ukraine in the world’s news. And the people of Ukraine have become dependent upon the constant stream of news from the region to keep their allies motivated to continue supporting them in their fight for freedom from Russian expansionism. Russia, on the other hand, likely appreciates the focus on another part of the globe.

Meanwhile, we are enjoying a peaceful life in a beautiful place. I have to remind myself that this great luxury is not something that we have earned. We are not somehow more moral or better than those who are swept up in violence and conflict. We are fortunate to live in a place without the constant threat.

I do not want to take the beauty and peace of the place where I live for granted. Taking time to smile at rainbows and feel the drops of rain on my head, looking at the beauty that surrounds me and giving thanks for my privilege, breathing deeply of the clean air and sea breeze - these are gifts of my time and place. May I never grow complacent.