rain

Out of nowhere, the sky turned from sunshine into gray. Then suddenly, the rain came down in sporadic droplets until the sky opened up like a bucket of water pouring over our heads.
I watched the storm through a window beneath the second floor roof. The people scattered on Lexington Avenue, and within minutes, the sidewalks were empty of all its pedestrians.

I looked down from the window and watched the taxi cabs speed through the flooded streets with their windshield wipers swinging from left to right.
Three longhaired girls hid from the downpour inside the front vestibule of an office building across the street. Beside them, the coffee shop seemed crowded and the tables by the window were filled with people watching the storm and sipping over-priced coffee from an over-sized white mug.

There are times when this loud city of mine is incredibly quiet.
This is one of those times.

Enclosed in a maintenance room, I locked the door behind me to avoid any interruption.
I could hear the sound of rainwater funneling through the drain pipes in the ceiling.
I could hear the faint whisper of raindrops teaming against the sidewalk and the side of my building. I could see people running with umbrellas and I could also feel the hushing lullaby that comes with heavy rainstorms like this one.

I love these storms . . .
They always seem to come at the right time.
I love how they break the heat and soak the madness in places like New York City. I love how the storms wash away the tension and ease the humidity.
But mostly, I love the way storms like this remind me to be still, even if only for a moment.

As I write to you, there is a pile of paperwork on my desk at home. There are bills that need my attention and questions in my household that need answers.
Safe to say, I have luxury problems. Safe to say, at least I have my health and the problems at hand may be stressful, but they are more than manageable. It is also safe to say that my level of stress is no different from any other homeowner, or father, or any head of the household that works for a living.

This is why I enjoy these sudden storms

Sometimes the energy of life on life’s terms is overwhelming. The energy creates heat and that heat creates pressure, which can sometimes be incredible.
I feel vulnerable and frightened. I worry where the next dollar will come from and my concerns get the best of me.

In times like this, I need something to step in and break the heat. I need something to cut the tension so I can breathe a little easier.
I need something to wash away the dust of my own crazy world . . .
I need an answer
That’s why there’s rain.
It’s God’s the Father’s way of cleansing the world and breaking the tension
………so we can breathe a little easier.