After the Rain

The sky darkened quickly and the sudden cool breeze that blew in was the opening act. Rumbling thunder made it official -- the arrival of a summer thunder storm. The kind that blows in long enough to pick up the humidity before making a quick get away.

It's been sweltering hot the last few days [not a complaint; just stating a fact.] -- the wet, sticky kind of hot that has us dropping to our knees to give thanks for the miracle of air conditioning. I love it though ... it brings me back to those long, endless summers of my childhood and restless nights spent not sleeping on top of the covers, cooled by squeakey fans lodged in open windows.

The storm put on quite a dramatic show. Claps of thunder. Unpredictable flashes and forks of lightening, and a torrential downpour.

Then - as suddenly as it started - it was over. Clouds drifted off, scattering across the sky and within a few minutes, the sun was poking through the cracks.

I love the "after" storm. The air is fresh and smells earthy. All is renewed. All heaviness erased - forgotten.

It's a fresh start ... after the rain.