A Change in the Weather

 

Monday, July 9, 2012 – A Change in the Weather

Yesterday’s late afternoon storm brought ominous darkness, rumbles of thunder, and pelting rain.  It also brought thoughts of crashing trees and power outages, but the dire scenario didn’t materialize.  This morning, the luscious patter of rain drew me gently out of my sleep.  I could hardly wait to fling open the front door and feel the welcome drops of rain splashing my bare arms and legs.  Cooled air rushed around me.  The damp woodsy scent transported me back nearly fifty years, to summer camp in the mountains of North Carolina.  I stopped for a moment to enjoy the sensation of being back in that world.  I think of all the memories, all the different worlds, stored within over the past six decades.  Still, it’s hard to believe that I’ll be 62 on Saturday.  I have been blessed with such great good fortune.  It seems only right to share the bounty I’ve been given.  The Hebrew phrase tikkun olam, a central tenet of Judaism, comes to mind.  It’s often translated as “repair the world.”  As a birthday gift to myself, I will make a more conscious ongoing effort to make the world a better place today and for future generations. 

The overcast skies and temperatures in the 70s lured us both out of the house for a post-breakfast stroll through the neighborhood.  With litter from the derecho still scattered about the side of the road, Elliott and Winnie had a bumpy ride.  The rain had stopped, but droplets quivered at the tips of the pine needles.  We passed by a tall evergreen lying on its side, uprooted over a week ago by the winds of the derecho.  The spicy aroma of the recent rain enveloped us – a rich complex brew of earth, vegetation, and water.  After about ten minutes, Elliott turned back while I continued on as far as the little bridge over the stream where I paused and watched the waters tumbling over the rocks.  When I stand in this spot, I like to imagine casting my worries into the stream and letting the flowing waters carry them away.  (Yes, that sounds a lot like the taschlich ritual from the Jewish High Holy Days.)  I would have walked further, but the ubiquitous gnats were getting troublesome.  Of course, the humidity hasn’t disappeared either.  However, now that I’ve discovered intensive moisturizing shampoo and conditioner and anti-frizz serum, I can embrace the curl.