Friday, June 29, 2012

hearing

It's been hot here, as it has in many places this week. The heat seemed to reach its high yesterday, with temperature readings above 100 and the heat index even higher.

The rain is scarce. The grass is browning and any water that gets to it via sprinklers is quickly soaked up by the soil or evaporated by the ever present scorching sun.

When the house was unusually dark this morning and a look outside revealed grey, heavy clouds I smiled. We needed rain. I stood over the sink putting away dishes and looking out through the open window as small drops formed a polka-dot pattern on the sidewalk. Soon, it was a storm. Thunder rumbled in the distance, the familiar plink-plink-plink of raindrops hitting the house filled my ears. I closed my eyes to listen to the symphony.

I miss Southern storms, especially the lullaby of rain on the metal roof of the trailer in which I grew up. I miss the hot humid nights that are often lit up by the lightning flashing across the sky long before the rain made it to us.

The storm here today was short. By the time I had my coffee in hand and was sitting at my desk to work on a project, the sound of the rain was already slowly drifting away. It left behind cooler air and my window remained open. The quiet peace of the rain was replaced with the normal sounds of my urban life. A jackhammer tore up concrete somewhere. The wind blew and brought with it the sound of the train announcing it's next stop. The wheels of cars and bikes make distinct noises on the street outside of my house. I enjoyed the short peaceful rain, but this is my new symphony.

I wonder what chorus of noises awaits me in my next home. I wonder if I'll miss the beeps and dings of the train, the ever-present road noise, the various sounds of evidence of this thriving community in which I live.

3 comments:

  1. nice post, nicole. i remember hearing the train from just across our street while growing up and the sirens frequently blaring from the five lane highway just yards from our home. when i moved south i thought i was in the "sticks", though it was, in fact, just a small town. then to realize the ruralness of your daddy's growing up place was an even deeper understanding of rural life and the peacefulness and simplicity that could occur and the hard work it took to maintain it. in each, i think, there are things to miss and/or appreciate and perhaps challenge.

    we are blessed with a wide assortment of different living environments here within the usa and the opportunity to experience them is/has been a blessing. perhaps the diversity helps us to understand others if we choose to allow God to teach us.

    praying you hear beautiful sounds, and experience refreshing breezes as you venture out on the newest part of your journey.

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  2. Shannon dreams of living in a house with a tin roof, simply to hear the sounds of rain. I love it too!

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  3. Lovely post. The southern storms sound similar to missouri storms, thoughs storms there generally mean tornado threats. i like east coast storms. the rain lasts longer and you can have rain without storms, but i miss more powerful storms.

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