Dancing in the Rain

So far in my life, I have never tired of the rain. I have never felt like, "Ugh. Please stop raining!" Now, granted, right now I live in southern California, but I haven't always lived here. Rain is the perfect weather for someone introspective, emotional, and homebody-ish as I am. Even the threat of rain--gray clouds, humidity, that rain smell--cheers me up. The hope of rain gives me something to look forward to. Even better? Thunder and lightning, like the storms of my youth, with the trees slapping against the windows and the wind howling in the blackness. One of my favorite things to fall asleep to.

It's been raining for the last several days. My yard is getting watered and I don't have to pay for it. The air conditioning is finally turned off and the windows are opened. Right now as I type, I look out the window of the early morning and the world has two colors: gray and green. Perfect. Let it fall.

Yesterday as I was teaching piano lessons, the intensity of the rain increased ten-fold. Suddenly, there was a torrential downpour, and it had to be celebrated. My student and I ran on to the front porch. Conor wanted to play in it, and fearing we didn't have enough time to get a bathing suit on, (this is southern California, after all. Downpours are short-lived.) I quickly stripped him of his clothes and sent him out into the rain in just his underwear. He danced and laughed, and I watched his joyful body, completely connected with the joy he is filled with in his soul, and I envied him. The feel of the rain pounding down on his little body, drenching his skin, his hair, not a worry in the world. It was pure delight. Aiden joined him, in a bathing suit, and we all just took in the happiness of free-falling water from heaven. When the downpour stopped, and the boys were sufficiently chilled, they came in to dry off, and my student and I returned to the piano. I even think he played better having watched the rain.

Today it is raining again. Probably the last day for a while, according to the 10-day forecast. We will soak it in.