Dark clouds turn the morning light to dull grey. I continue with my reading, but turn on the lamp. Vaguely, I hear some distant rumbles while not quite noticing that they are steadily growing closer. As I put my small book and rosary away, there is a sharp crack of thunder. Looking out the window I see it is raining. Idly, I put my computer on to read the news and find a grouping of twenty-six photographs of lightning. I save some of them as they are spectacular pictures.
The rain is suddenly torrential. The thunder roars mixed with flashes of lightning. I hear the rapid splatter of the raindrops pounding on the roof outside my window. The rain echos off the metal casing of my air conditioner.
Looking out the window I can barely see the house next door as sheets of rain limit visibility.
The heaviest of the downpour lasts about fifteen minutes. Slowly the sharp cracks of thunder become a more distant rumbling again as the fast-moving storm continues on its course. The rainfall becomes more moderate with only occasional gusting-like outbursts of heavy downpours. It is a rapid, sudden thunderstorm but an intense one. I am glad not to have been caught out in it. The rain alternates between moderate and heavy but the thunder and lightning have moved off with only infrequent, distant rumbles.
I love a good storm. The power they manifest awes me and I could watch them for hours. Even the loss of hydro, which did not happen today, does not dampen my enthusiasm for a good thunderstorm. I become a kid again, thrilled by the bright flashes and excited by the powerful, window-rattling, explosions of thunder.
Some fear storms, and I understand that. There is always a potential for damage and harm. But it is excitement for the power on display I feel most and, while I do not put myself at risk, I am fascinated and cannot help but watch and enjoy.
It seems now that it is only rain in the wake of the storm. I have no plans to go out early, so it is not a problem for me. Even as I write, I keep glancing out the window. I find myself hoping there may be more to come of this storm but resign myself to the fact that the show is over.
