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Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Weather Boy

Rain in Southern California during any time of the year is rare, but rain in the summer here can be especially elusive, so much so, that when it does come, one does everything they can to welcome it. Honestly, is there anything more refreshing than playing in a cool summer downpour?

Sunday afternoon, while I was in our backyard firing up the coals on the barbecue, the rain began to come down in big, fat, splattering, tropical drops, and my joyful cry went up, “Honey, it’s raining!!” I set down my beer and scrambled to get a large beach umbrella in place to protect the coals, and then stepped out from beneath to stand under the sky. The rain did not last long, and very soon after it began it was done.

That night while most of us slept, Basil came in, wanting to climb into bed with us. He was up on our bed angling for the precious real estate when I awoke. He held in his arms the essentials for travel by darkness, a guardian angel icon, a cuddly wolf, and a sippy of water. In the sleep interest of Sara and Simeon, I gathered his long gangly body up and carried him back to his bed, amidst much protesting.

I laid him down in his bed and settled in next to him. He cried for a bit, “Daddy, please change your mind, I wanna sleep in the bed with mommy and Simeon.” and then cuddled up next to me in resignation of his cause. We laid there for a while; he was entirely awake and very fidgety. He asked me pithy little questions, “Daddy, are rats very impatient?” My replies were short and matter of fact with the buried hope of quieting him, “No, rats are usually very patient.” I desperately wanted to return to sleep.

At last, we both began fading until the sudden sound of the oranges trees ruffling outside the open sliding glass door ripped us both from the clutches of sleep. Basil sat up quickly, “What is that, daddy?” I had to listen for a bit before I discerned the answer, “It’s raining!” Basil and I laid there and listened intently, a smile on my face and thankfulness in my heart. Basil then began to sing, “Rain, rain, go away, little Basil wants to play, rain, rain, go away, little Basil wants to play.” Laughing, I asked him where he heard that, “Oh, mommy sings it to me.”

Suddenly, washed away was all of the petty frustration, just to be awake for the return of the rain. To be an eyewitness to this rare happening, twice in one day, was well worth any yawning I may have to endure the next day, but more so, there was something very authentic, something that hinted at a deeper reality that we were participating in, in sharing this moment together. It really is the simple things that can turn out to be the most stunning and beautiful, especially the rarity of a summer rain.


Comments:
Wonderful post, Aaron!

And it really is/was nice of you to take care of Basil while letting Mama and baby sleep :) But I guess that's inevitable when the kids start to outnumber the adults, eh?

Thanks for sharing your neat "moment" with your son.
 
Aww how sweet! "Daddy please change your mind!" That tugged on my heart strings.
 
Beautiful.

It is these moments that make life rich.
 
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