RAINDROPS

Its been raining here a lot lately, and I have realized how much I like rain. I suppose I have always known that I liked rain but I have actually been thinking about it I guess. I first came to these thoughts while driving up the rocky road just past End of the Road Ranch in New Castle. I was with my mom, dad and dog and we were going to go on a hike. It started to rain as we drove up the bumpy road and everything looked much more vibrant and lively. It should be said that this area was a very nice bit of forest, it was one of those places that is almost mystical looking, my dad brought up hobbits. It had the feeling of a deep forest because of the silence (broken up by a river that was overflowing due to snow melt) but there was still the flat, overall light that you get from a rainy sky coming through the trees. Everything looks looks alive when it rains, the greens, browns and other colors look more vibrant, it can make you look at things differently. The other wonderful thing about rain is the smell, the smell of rain itself and the smells of earth and trees that it brings out. I put on my dad's raincoat, which went to my knees, and opened my umbrella while I looked around at the lovely place. We walked up the trail as it started to rain harder. There was something about the rain pouring down around me as I peered out from under my umbrella that was so lovely and fantastic that I felt no need to turn around. I liked walking through all that nature in the rain. I think it made me more aware of my senses. Then it began to thunder and I realized how much I enjoy the rippling booming as well. The rain continued for the next few days, and as I was on my way to Keighley's house one night, the clouds began to roll in once more. I saw the lightning before I hit the rain, it was lighting up the sky, exposing the mountain ranges hidden in the darkness. The sky flashed purple and I wanted nothing more than to sit and watch the show. Just before I reached Keighley's place, thick, fat raindrops started to fall and I concluded once more that I really like rain. I can think of other instances that were fantastic, and I attribute some of it to rain. My eighteenth birthday hike with Sophia is one, and my last walk through the gardens with Riley was another. Sometimes it is just wonderful to get caught in the rain, and though I can't really explain why, I find something fantastic in all that water falling.