Thoughts of a Rainy Day….

It's really raining now and I am very content sitting here in the dark... just listening. For me, desert rains are magical. Of course, I don't really have much experience with any other, but for me desert rains will always be special, regardless. There is something soothing about being surrounded in the warmth of blankets and listening to the steady rhythm of gentle rain. It takes me back to quieter times when the world, my world, slowed down, and of being wrapped in my mother's warmth. Rainy days provided respite, for both of us, from daily stresses, and provided a time to disengage, to live in the moment.
As a child, my mother would sit me in front of the sliding glass door in full view as she cleaned the kitchen. It was one of the few times it wasn't an effort for me to be still, one of the few times my mother didn't have to worry about me getting into anything or getting under foot. I was content to sit there for hours, content in her presence, just watching, totally mesmerized by the rain. To this day, the sound, cool dampness and smell of rain trigger physical memories synonymous with her…
At times, when life can be so much like the desert in terms of struggle and survival, routine and responsibilities, one day much the same as any other, a rainy day is cause to pause and ponder life's mysteries, to reflect and appreciate. Of course, I might feel differently if I was actually out in it. Maybe that's why I love it so, cocooned in warmth, I am protected from the cold realities of actually getting soaked. For me, rainy days are very much about being and feeling loved.