I asked some country friends what they felt after the rain had passed.
Eileen Hennemann
Some quickly responded with how their world looked so clean, fresh and polished. Others heard the sounds of the birds and grasshoppers return, and the swish and wish of cars passing on puddle-filled roads. Many could smell the saturated earth, the moist air and the scents of grass and wet wood. A few could taste a good cup of coffee while sitting on their porch watching the rain clouds scuttle away, and a lesser few knew well the feel of that wet chair when they forgot to wipe it off first.
We pray, chant and beg for rain when too much time has gone by without it. Our fields, food and animals are desperate for it. Then we hope and wish for no rain when we have an outdoor party or need to mow the lawn. Those summer activities we so enjoy on the weekends are often shelved because of the rain.
So, what do we do when it’s raining out there? Perhaps it’s time to read a book, clean out a closet, or get back in the studio and paint. The coziness of being indoors while the rain is whipping around outside is almost indescribable. It encourages us to either welcome the stillness or get something done we’ve avoided on sunny days. And there are times, rare as we leave our childhood, that we want to go out there, jump in puddles and feel that glee. I think I just found something else to put on my bucket list. A walk on a country road while the rain quietly stops and makes room for the sun peaking through. Yes, I can see those puddles. They’re calling my name… Darn, that feels good.
