And the rains came

It is absolutely pouring down rain right now, soaking the sun-parched grass, washing my car (hallelujah), scaring my cat Blackjack (there is some thunder to accompany the rain), creating a human-quiet environment (the guys with the plundering loud bass spewing from their cars have to shut the windows so those of us in our homes don't have to be bombarded with that stupidity right now), and making for a special place that feels safe and enclosed.

I'm originally from the Canadian side of the Pacific Northwest. I grew up with rain, drizzle, and mist. It was just part of everyday life from autumn until late spring. I find myself now disliking rain, except when I am inside my home. I hate driving in any kind of rain. I am uncomfortable walking to the store in the rain, even if I am protected by an umbrella. I get anxious when I see rain splashing against the windows at work. Of course, when it rains here in Tampa, it rains hard. It rarely rained like that in Vancouver, although it may now, since weather patterns have drastically changed in the past few decades. I remember when I first moved to the Tampa Bay area you could set your watch by the afternoon summer rains that came around 4:00pm. Not 2:00pm like now. Not at 8:00pm or 8:00am. But things change. Isn't that the whole purpose of life -- to evolve with and embrace the changes the Universe and humankind throws at you? Who knew a few years ago that a person would actually be able to deposit a check into a bank account using a portable phone? Who knew a few years ago that a person could actually talk to someone far away by using a Bluetooth earpiece while driving a car? While we may becoming more and more technologically advanced, we still can't control or manipulate Mother Nature. We can't stop a hurricane from crawling up the Gulf of Mexico and slamming into one of the Gulf states. We can't predict when the next tornado will touch down in the Midwest and wreak devastation. We aren't yet able to tell the folks on the west coast of California when the next earthquake will shake, rattle and roll their homes, roads, and businesses. Did the Tampa Bay weather experts predict this torrent of rain today at 2:00pm? Maybe, but perhaps it's just my particular area that is experiencing this hard rain. Maybe my friends in Temple Terrace will see no rain today. West Central Florida is crazy that way. Now forty minutes later, the rain is still cascading from the clouds and the thunder is louder, but I feel safe and comfy in my little villa. After all, as long as I have chocolate in the house, I say let the rains come.