This morning I stepped out the door and was immediately greeted by the song of the stream a quarter of a mile away.  This wasn’t a merry trickle, this was a song of full-on, operatic proportions!  This was a siren’s song calling me to investigate.

I walked excitedly toward the stream.  It was swollen for sure, but not flooding.  It was turbulently, joyously, rapturously tumbling, rushing, racing down the mountainside.  It was clear, it was fast, it was strong.

Everything smelled gloriously fresh and clean.  The colors were bright, all signs of dust and drabness washed away.  Vibrant green moss had grown and white and orange mushrooms had sprouted.

We had been visited by Rain!  Lots of glorious, life-giving Rain!  Blessedly, graciously we had been gifted with an abundance of moisture, and just the right amount.  Unlike our unfortunate neighbors four to six hours to the north who were dealing with major flooding, the rain spirits were kind to us.  And while I am concerned for the plight of my fellow Coloradans and send them fervent wishes for drier weather, I will not be afraid of or embarrassed by the richness of rain we have been given.  We need it.

I revel in the moisture.  I glory in the stream.  I cannot understand some of the friends, neighbors, and clerks I’ve encountered during the last few days who have had the audacity to complain about the rain.  Don’t they realize we live in a desert???  Don’t they know that our aquifer is at record low levels?  Don’t they understand that pure water is the lifeblood of this planet? The plants need it, the animals need it, our crops need it, we need it.

Until one has lived through a drought, until one has lived in a desert, until one has been unbearably thirsty or oppressively hot or disgustingly dirty, one can never fully appreciate the blessing and the incredible gift of Rain.

I do.  I hereby cancel out every single complaint lodged about wet weather.  I celebrate this rain.  This rain means I will have enough water to drink for the next year.  It means I can take showers when I feel dirty.  I can wash clothes.  I can admire the flowers.  I can breathe the fragrant oxygen that the trees gift me.

Rain, beautiful Rain, I honor you.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.