Thursday Thought

Just Rain
Mary Oliver in Evidence

The clouds
 did not say
  soon, but who can tell
   for sure, it wasn't

the first time I had been
 fooled; the sky-doors
  opened and
   the rain began

to fall upon all of us: the
 grass, the leaves,
  my face, my shoulders
   and the flowered body

of the pond where
 it made its soft
  unnotational
   music on the pond's

springy surface, and then
 the birds joined in and I too
  felt called toward such
   throat praise. Well,

the whole afternoon went on
 that way until I thought
  I could feel
   the almost born things

in the earth rejoicing. As for myself,
 I just kept walking, thinking:
  once more I am grateful
   to be present.


This morning I planned to bike to work, based on the weather report, which promised clouds, but no precipitation. Alas, just as I was headed downstairs, I heard the patter of rain on the windows, followed by a splash and a torrent of rain out the front door. By the time I actually left the house, there was a steady drip, but calm enough winds that I could carry an umbrella. I can appreciate the flowers and budding trees on foot in a deeper manner than when on my bicycle.

The morning continued and by the time I got off the bus at the transit center on the way to work, I put down the umbrella. There's a shortcut through a wooded park with countless birds calling, expressing their joy, which echoed my own. I was happy to be a part of it - present and grateful.