As I sit here at the kitchen table, coffee in front of me, waiting for dawn, it’s raining. Hard. And it has been raining continuously for going on 36 hours.
In that time, it’s gone from a light mist, to pleasant showers to full-on downpour, and now, after all its phases and stages, it has flooded a small, low patch of our front yard, not uncommon when we get heavy rain and generally, not concerning, but certainly not ideal.
And, over the past day-and-a-half, it has caused me to beat a path to the basement every few hours to make sure the sump pump is doing its job and there hasn’t been any water leakage.
So far, so good.
I don’t mind rain. Fact is, I like it most of the time. For me, a nice shower on a summer night is relaxing, often bringing a respite from the hot, humid stickiness of the “dog days.”
I like spring rains, cold and strident, sometimes bringing with them the winds of change after a long, cold winter, a catalyst for trees to bloom, grass to “green up” and flowers to pop their buds.
I also like rain when I have nothing to do and all day to do it because it can be soothing and, I guess, cleansing. Sometimes, I walk or run in the rain because it feels good and refreshing, and it’s just a different experience than waiting until conditions are ideal for outdoor activity.
And, most importantly, I like rain because we need it to sustain life and the planet.
But right now, I don’t like this rain, which has been hanging around for too damn long, beating against the house, saturating the ground and eventually, dampening spirits (notably mine).
I don’t like this rain because if it keeps up, it could cause damage in our home or someone else’s in our neighborhood or community.
And right now, I don’t like this rain because this rain should be falling in places that truly need it: places where rivers and lakes are drying up, and where fires are decimating forests, wildlife, and property … and threatening lives.
As with any weather event, this rain is a reminder of the power of nature, and of the perceived inequity of it. But it’s not inequity, it’s just nature, and by definition, it’s simply doing its thing without regard to -- or awareness of -- who needs it, or where or when. That’s nature’s job, and it does it well.
And I also realize I’m lucky because right now my biggest concern is a little standing water in my front yard, and the slight (and it is slight) possibility we might get a little water in our basement – an inconvenience for certain, but not a life-changing event by any means.
But right now, as I listen to this rain, it’s frustrating me, and frankly, pissing me off because we’ve already gotten more than enough for us … and for now. So, I guess I wish it would just move on and take its power, its attitude and all the good things it can do and drop it where it’s needed most.
Usually, my mood isn’t driven by the weather, unless conditions remain for such a time that it gets boring, inconvenient, depressing or threatening to me, my family or those around me. But right now, this rain, which has been falling since Saturday evening, has long worn out its welcome, and I wish it would simply go away.
© 2022 David R. Haznaw