This morning, I planned a walk by the beach to catch the sunrise. But life, as it often does, had other plans.

As I approached the wharf, the rain began to fall, so I rushed to seek shelter under a Talisay tree. Yet, as I thought of how the rain ruined my plan, something beautiful unfolded before my very eyes. The clouds shifted slightly, the sun broke through, and the sky erupted into a symphony of soft golds. The sunrise—unexpected and uninvited—was breathtaking.

Standing there, rain soaking through my clothes, I couldn’t help but think about life’s uncanny ability to surprise us in moments we least anticipate. This year alone, I’ve faced my share of gray skies. A canceled trip turned into a spontaneous adventure to Xinjiang, a place I’d long dreamed of visiting but never thought I’d reach. Much like this morning’s unexpected sunrise, that detour reminded me that setbacks often pave the way for beauty we couldn’t have planned.

But life wasn’t finished surprising me yet.

On my way back, soaked and cold but smiling, I glanced up and saw it: a perfect rainbow stretching across the sky, unmissable against the receding storm clouds. It was as though nature whispered, “This is why you trust.”

Isn’t that the essence of life? We question. We resist. We curse the rain and grumble at the clouds. But if we let go and allow things to unfold, the beauty we seek reveals itself—sometimes in golden sunrises, sometimes in fleeting rainbows, and sometimes in the unexpected detours that lead us to the destinations of our dreams.

Today reminded me that everything has its time, and every moment—no matter how gray—holds the potential for magic. All we need to do is keep walking, keep looking, and trust in life’s quiet, serendipitous choreography.