Just Around the Bend: After the Rain, the Rainbow
A hilltop hike, two quiet islands, and the view just beyond the storm
#28
Watching sunrises over the islands of Serifos and Sifnos this week, dipping my feet into the Mediterranean, wandering the rugged countryside, and moving at the pace of slow travel — it’s been a week of deep breath and beauty.
On Serifos, I climbed from one hillside to the next, all the way to the far corner of the island where a small white church waited at the top. It took a couple of hours, and halfway through, a sudden rainstorm hit. I took cover under a small portico, waited it out, and then kept going. Just around the bend, as the rain stopped, I reached the summit — and there it was: a perfect rainbow stretching across the sky.
The metaphor wasn’t lost on me. So often in life we stop right before the breakthrough. I could see where I wanted to go — the church as my beacon — but the path had its own rhythm. There were moments of joy, detours that felt Spirit-led, and pauses to catch my breath. When the storm hit, I didn’t know I was only minutes from the top. It reminded me how life often works: we know the direction, but when obstacles appear, how do we respond? Do we see them as signs to turn back, or as invitations to trust the process, wait for the clouds to clear, and keep going?
At the top, Tim messaged me from below — he had seen the same rainbow from the water’s edge. We met back in town and he had sweet treats in hand, each having had our own kind of morning adventure. We walked back up to the house together and had a lovely evening side by side.
At every stop on this journey, from the last six months travel to now, we’ve been reminded that no place is perfect — yet every place holds something beautiful. One apartment has low ceilings, another noisy neighbors, but gratitude shifts everything. We’re learning, again and again, that we’re co-creating the experience with our intentions of grace and ease.
On Wednesday we said goodbye to Serifos and took a short ferry ride to Sifnos — only twenty minutes away but a world apart. I love watching how each island brings its own energy. Sifnos has been a quiet gem. We rented a little convertible even though it’s cooler now (mid-60s), and it’s pure joy to feel the wind in my face as we explore.
Here, I found two beaches that instantly made my top fifteen of all time — soft sand, crystal-clear water, tiny boats bobbing along the cliffs, and only a handful of people. We also followed a trail that was supposed to lead to a hidden beach but instead ended at a tiny white church in the middle of nowhere. The path was rugged and steep, and the climb back up took our breath away, but we laughed, picnicked along the way, and soaked in views of the endless blue below.
Another day, we wandered into a small village on a Sunday afternoon and glimpsed local life in motion — just a few cafés open, families gathered, laughter carrying through narrow lanes. With only 2,200 year-round residents, Sifnos feels even quieter off-season.
Soon we’ll head to three more islands, each with larger populations and their own character. I’m curious to see how the energy shifts — but for now, the slower rhythm feels right. Off-season brings better service, lower prices, and more authentic connection. The days are cooler, but cozy layers and warm hearts more than make up for it.
I’m also checking in with myself. I can feel a tiredness — a longing for stability and grounding again. So after a couple conversations with Tim, I’ve decided to return to the States after the first of the year, while he continues on to Asia for a while. I’m excited to begin exploring our next home base and to settle in for a bit.
It feels aligned with the season, too. Winter invites reflection — a time to slow down, to recenter. Here in Greece, even the holiday season feels gentler. Strings of lights are appearing in the town squares, small, artificial trees for sale in the markets — simple, grounded, unhurried. It’s a beautiful reminder that less truly is more, and that we always get to choose how to spend our days, our holidays, our lives.
I’ve uploaded a few new videos on my YouTube channel — including my favorite so far: the walk to that hilltop church and the rainbow moment itself. Come walk with me and see what’s just around the bend.
And as always, remember: you get to choose how to live each and every day. Trust your own pace. Know your power and worth to live in this expansive playground of Earth — in the joy that’s always here for you.
I’m endlessly grateful for this journey called Life.
This week, I sat down with Kelly Quiney for a heartfelt conversation about the Listen • Trust • Act Method™, and what it really means to live a soul-led life.
To your highest and best,
Dianna
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