^ Thunderstorms

I am so rarely homesick for the South, it’salmost shameful. I just don’t miss from whence I came. The place by and largefeels like a toxic quicksand that I finally extricated myself from at greatpersonal cost.

One of the few things I miss from the landof my birth is thunderstorms. There is something strangely compelling for meabout the sound of thunder, and it happens so rarely in the Pacific Northwest that when itdoes happen, I get giddy. So last night, when we had a true thunderstorm, I wasin a state of joyous bliss. I have memories of napping through thunderstorms,of sitting at open windows while the rain-cooled air kissed my face and thesound of the water dripping from eaves lulled my thoughts. Maybe it’s theozone, maybe it’s the demonstration of Nature’s power and beauty – somethinginvigorates and rejuvenates me in a thunderstorm, and I am grateful to have hadlast night.

Thanks, Mother.