the old man is snoring. I don’t know if he is snoring or not, but I have always been told, since I was but a wee child, that he was. Rain. Something that folks in the East, Northeast and Midwest have had a fair share of this year and, it’s only January. It’s easy to start hating rain, I suppose. I know that it has thwarted a few things that I would have liked to do, but in order to appreciate it, one must look past the present situation of inconvenience and saturation to the beauty and bounty that water from the Heavens provides.
Rain is essential to all living things on the earth. It fills up the creeks, rivers, lakes, wells, streams and it gives lifesaving water to the trees that I so adore. I can only image the conversation the trees must be having, among themselves, at this very moment; knowing that their roots are full to capacity and there is excess to aid in the dry times that are bound to come. They must be ecstatic even though there will be some, as in the human element, that will fall under the pressure that the reality of life deals them. We, as the trees, begin to die the minute we are born. This is a fact.
It is easy to decide that rain is a bad thing, but I love it. I love the sound of it, the feel of it on my skin, the taste of it on my tongue. It is such a beautiful thing, that which pours from the clouds. It is true that, at times, rain decides to exhibit its power and influence; filling waterways well past their spilling points. I don’t discount the damage it can do if it decides to go on a full-out tirade and at the same time, I watch, in amazement, at just what it is capable of. A single raindrop, on its own, has little impact, but when paired with millions of others falling steadily; well, the result is astounding.
While under normal circumstances, without tornadoes, hurricanes or other brutal natural occurrences, rain is just …. well, it’s just rain. Water that falls from the heavens and makes a sound that nothing else on earth can make. How many people who will read this blog post will have a CD or some recording of a thunderstorm or rain for relaxation or meditation? It is food for thought, anyway.
This is where the idealistic photographer steps in. Yes, it can sometimes flood, but through the lens of my camera, it is astounding. The wonder of nature as it shows its power is a beautiful thing. Don’t get me wrong, I wish for no harm to anyone, but if it is going to happen anyway, I want to be a part of it. It is during these times, when Mother Nature decides she is going to show off, that I am truly sorry I have a day job. It takes everything I can muster not to pick up my camera, head out to anywhere and everywhere and say “to hell” with my job.
Reality, however, has a way of kicking me in the head and reminding me that it is prevalent in my life. I, at times, hate reality and feel that it picks on me purposely just to remind me that I don’t have nearly as much control as I think I have. What reality doesn’t realize, however, is that I’m not the one in control and it is picking on the wrong being. When my experience and wisdom is cooked proper, don’t doubt for a minute that reality will have little bearing on where I will be or what I can accomplish.
In the meantime, I will listen to music that soothes me while the rain falls with torrential force and know that, when tomorrow dawns, if I am blessed to live, it will be a wonderful day; rainy or not.
Isaiah 55:10 ~ For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:
A Photographer's Heart 