Thunder-the sound of hope. At first you try to ignore it- what's the sense in getting your hopes up? But when the wind hits, anticipation. For a few minutes practicality takes over: get home, close the windows, take the laundry off the line... Five months of dust blows through window cracks and under shamefully crooked doors anyway. The wind is out of place-it belongs in the Midwest in October. "Cold". First the big drops and for thirty seconds you can hear each one individually until they quickly blend together and turn you into a 5 year old again. Dancing in the first rain with shampoo in your hair so you don't have to shower later.
The dust is washed out of the air and the mango trees that we thought were green now actually ARE green. It's like God took off our nasty-colored sunglasses. Every roof and moto and wall and tree and sheep and dusty baby and even all the trash in the street is clean now.
The wind blows away the heat and the earth seems to let loose a deep sigh of satisfaction. For months every shadow or splash of dirty dishwater was hope of this moment.
It feels like God just hugged everything as far as I can see. Is there anything so deeply close to God as the first African rain of the year?
Oh man I miss those rain storms!
ReplyDeleteYes nothing like them especially the smell of dust as the rain settles again....so enjoy seeing the two of you in Africa, not easy but you are living a meaningful life for sure....may God bless the work of your hands...
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