In Search of the Rain Forest...

Asher Rain Bell

Today it finally poured several times and gave us much needed rain. I LOVE the rain! I should clarify that, I love rain storms. I can't stand the prickly rainfalls or mists that hardly seem worth the effort. But give me a good, drenching rain and a cup of Chai and I am a happy camper. Ah, take that back. Probably the only time I do not like a good soaking rain is when I am camping. Especially when I am camping with kids or the tent leaks. {{{{ugggghhhh}}}}.

When I was a youngster, I used to sit on our front porch and watch the rain. Wow, that's a memory I really have to dig for! My dad had a lounge chair out there and sometimes we would sit together, not saying anything. Other times I think I may have talked my head off, but he didn't seem to mind. When it would stop raining, I remember running out to our dirt driveway to make river-lets for the water to run down. I found myself doing that years later in our back yard and couldn't believe the joy I found in doing it!

To listen to rain outside the window in the summer has such a calming effect on me. Doesn't everyone sleep better when it rains? Okay, maybe not during a thunderstorm or raging winds, but a nice steady rain. As I get older I find I sleep later -- that being until 7:30, not my usual 5:00 AM -- when it rains. And then I still want to just roll over and snuggle under the covers and listen.

I don't mind being out in the rain either, as long as I am prepared for it. Once I got stuck doing my office calls in the pouring rain. My pants were soaked from the knees down. Yes I had a raincoat, yes, I had an umbrella, but the rain came down sideways. Not only that, my pants were long enough that just getting in and out of the car, they were sucking up the puddles!

I love kids who stomp in puddles. (Of course, I like it better when they are not mine or my responsibility, lol.) Unless kids are on their way to church or some other dressy place, who cares! The mud washes out, they can change out of the wet clothes (especially if you carry and extra set with you). As long as it's not a frigid winter day, go stomp, I say. Have you happened to notice kids are magically drawn to them anyway!

I am amused by folks, mostly women, who are so afraid to get their hair wet in the rain. None can beat my hair when it's wet on a humid day. Frizzzzy! If I can tolerate it, anyone can. I always yell to folks standing and waiting for it to stop before they run to their destination or cars: "It's only water!"

Don't comment and say anything about acid rain....I don't want to hear it, okay?

Anyway, I know just few others who enjoy the rain as much as I do. It was such a shock for me to learn my son and his wife, Jessica, LOVE the rain. They may even love it more than I do, as they gave their second son, Asher, the middle name Rain. Asher Rain -- doesn't that just sound poetic? I remember when Asher was just learning to talk and he told his mom, "I wuv the wain, Mommy. I wuv it on my head and on my arms and on my back." Now does that kid live up to his name or what!

My kinda kid. Maybe when he's older we will snuggle up together during a hefty rain storm and read a good book , or maybe just sit and watch it pour down, or better yet, go find a puddle to jump into! Aah, a taste of heaven.

(Photo above taken by his dad.)