It’s finally raining in drought stricken California. Although I know we need it, the overcast skies all week make me want to ask for a refund on the money it takes to live in paradise. But I do love the rain. Unlike Texas where the rain is so hard it blows sideways or Mississippi where impromptu thunderstorms will you soak in minutes, California rain is the soft, calming, cleansing kind. It washes over everything and makes the colors more vibrant and intense.
Yesterday, I went walking in the rain with friend, intentionally. We knew it was raining. We grabbed coats and just went for a leisurely stroll in the rain, which I haven’t don’t for a very long time. It was really nice to not fight it. We got a little wet, but we’ll dry. One quick note for any Californians reading this, in most civilized cultures, cars slow down to avoid splashing walkers with huge puddles of water. It’s okay, I know you are unfamiliar with acceptable rain behavior. It doesn’t rain much here so you haven’t had a lot of chance to practice. Pass it along, if you can.
California is in the midst of the worst drought in history. Too many people living in (basically) the desert, too much agriculture (still the state’s largest industry and responsible for producing more than half the country’s food) and too little rain. So I’m grateful for it, restored by it, and bathed in it. Today, it makes me feel cleansed and calm, like an Irish blessing I love. So, I’ll leave you with that.
May the road rise to meet you,
May the wind me at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
The rain fall soft upon your back.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of his hand.
Boonedoggler 