My Tribute to Clouds

Clouds will remain for me one of the most comforting things to behold and possibly the best form of escapism around. I have always been fascinated by clouds.  I don’t know many people who haven’t stared into the sky trying to figure out what shapes could be found.  They are ever changing, and always interesting. They are visually amazing, sometimes to the point of being heart-stopping. They are dependable.  They have been everywhere I have been and they will be everywhere I go.  In tribute — I present to you – – my favorite photos of clouds from all over the world- mixed up with a children’s story I would use with my 1st and 2nd graders in California.  Enjoy.

The Cloud

One hot summer morning a little Cloud rose out of the sea and floated lightly and happily across the blue sky. Far below lay the earth, brown, dry, and desolate, from drought. The little Cloud could see the poor people of the earth working and suffering in the hot fields, while she herself floated on the morning breeze, hither and thither, without a care.

“Oh, if I could only help the poor people down there!” she thought. “If I could but make their work easier, or give the hungry ones food, or the thirsty a drink!”

And as the day passed, and the Cloud became larger, this wish to do something for the people of earth was ever greater in her heart.

On earth it grew hotter and hotter; the sun burned down so fiercely that the people were fainting in its rays; it seemed as if they must die of heat, and yet they were obliged to go on with their work, for they were very poor. Sometimes they stood and looked up at the Cloud, as if they were praying, and saying, “Ah, if you could help us!”

“I will help you; I will!” said the Cloud. And she began to sink softly down toward the earth.

But suddenly, as she floated down, she remembered something which had been told her when she was a tiny Cloud child, in the lap of Mother Ocean: it had been whispered that if the Clouds go too near the earth they die. When she remembered this she held herself from sinking, and swayed here and there on the breeze, thinking, thinking. But at last she stood quite still, and spoke boldly and proudly. She said, “Men of earth, I will help you, come what may!”

The thought made her suddenly marvelously big and strong and powerful. Never had she dreamed that she could be so big. Like a mighty angel of blessing she stood above the earth, and lifted her head and spread her wings far over the fields and woods. She was so great, so majestic, that men and animals were awestruck at the sight; the trees and the grasses bowed before her; yet all the earth creatures felt that she meant them well.

“Yes, I will help you,” cried the Cloud once more. “Take me to yourselves; I will give my life for you!”

As she said the words a wonderful light glowed from her heart, the sound of thunder rolled through the sky, and a love greater than words can tell filled the Cloud; down, down, close to the earth she swept, and gave up her life in a blessed, healing shower of rain.

That rain was the Cloud’s great deed; it was her death, too; but it was also her glory. Over the whole countryside, as far as the rain fell, a lovely rainbow sprang its arch, and all the brightest rays of heaven made its colors; it was the last greeting of a love so great that it sacrificed itself.

Soon that, too, was gone, but long, long afterward the men and animals who were saved by the Cloud kept her blessing in their hearts.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Related articles

• Cloud Lovers (cloudappreciationsociety.org)
• When the Dark Clouds Gather (betterlifecoachingblog.com)
• The Pursuit of Beauty (Part II): Get Above the Clouds (hikerdude.wordpress.com)
• The Amazing World of Clouds (evatenter.wordpress.com)
• Noctiluent Clouds Over Ireland (sott.net)
• Clouds (ultimatekeyxiii.wordpress.com)