There was something wrong… something missing from the world as I walked the few paces to the car. I couldn’t put my finger on it at all, but I was very clear on the essential fact. There was something … different.
It wasn’t until I turned the key in the ignition that I realised what it was; it had stopped raining. And the sky was clear.
The rain has been almost constant for weeks now. The area in which I live has little in the way of rivers. Usually, I miss them and would wish for more. I know of no natural waterfalls around here at all and the streams are no more than tiny, silver threads. At present, though, they are roiling, muddy streaks, spilling over into the flood plains and sodden fields.
So the clear skies and cessation of rain were a welcome change, even if it had taken me a few moments to pinpoint what was different this morning.
What surprised me the most was not the transient burst of sunshine, but my own acceptance that the bad weather was the norm. It may be England, but even here winter is not normally uniformly grey and wet. We have glorious frosty mornings with pristine skies and soft dawns too. We had even had one a few days ago. But… the pallid shades of gloom have settled in to become ‘normal’ somehow.
It is not unusual though; life itself often takes on those grey shades where the clouds loom dark and heavy, carrying worries and stress in their nondescript pall. That too can very quickly become the norm and its very familiarity comforting in a strange and perverse way. We don’t always notice when the clouds lift from our days here either… it just feels odd and unusual… possibly uncomfortably so; just because it is different, and we know that, but cannot see why… and do not stop to enjoy the moment.
The sunshine was beautiful, but it didn’t last long. By the time I had driven the five miles to work through the early morning traffic, the skies had darkened once more and the clouds were speeding to cover the cold blue, positioning themselves to release the heavy rain and hailstones they were carrying. Even so, seeing the colours of the dark, rain-damp earth stark against the greens and russets of winter, watching the sparkle and sheen of the rain capture the sunlight as the birds played in the morning air… seeing the first touches of spring green highlighted by the sun… it had made my heart sing.
I wondered how often in the grey monotony of life we miss such moments, as I had ‘missed’ understanding the changed weather, just because we are so used to what we know that we can no longer see or appreciate those flashes of beauty that can come in to illuminate our days at any moment.
The Silent Eye 
Reblogged this on France & Vincent.
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I wonder what causes our brain to slope off sometimes. Is it too busy with the job in hand or has it become complacent? Either way, it could be robbing us of all the best moments…
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Maybe we have just filed things till the time is right.
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Well, I hope our brains know when that is, for I don’t have a clue!
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Me neither 😉
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The birds in the garden keep me happy even on the greyest days. xxx
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I had a lovely conversation with my robin this morning 🙂
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They do listen don’t they. ❤
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They do…and reply 🙂
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Thanks for reminding us to notice the blue skies, bot real and metaphorical.
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We certainly had the most beautiful blue skies today 🙂
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What beautiful photographs!. While I do appreciate most of what Mother Nature sends us, as long as it’s not too excessive…I am a Spring/Summer/Autumn person and really dislike the cold, even though crisp, snowy mornings can delight, if wrapped up! BUT – today, here in Spain, it is such a gem of a day, I feel I must comment. We have just had our coffee on the patio in the sunshine, with no breezes to disturb the air, and I only wish I could send some to you. xx
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My son and I had coffee outside by the pond today too… it was a glorious day 🙂
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Beautiful skies, Sue. Yes, if we don’t occasionally stop and pay attention to the “this moment” we can miss so much beauty. A wonderful reminder to do just that… even though today is raining. Again. 😀
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Ah, we had a lovely spring day today… though tomorrow might be as cold as Hades 😉
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I think people take an awful lot for granted, especially in first world countries. In third world countries, you never know when the power will go off for hours, when there will be riots so you can’t use the highways or when friends and family will be victims of crime. Adversity gives people a strange and vivid enjoyment of life. Poor people are so easily made happy with small things like a good meal. It puts so much in life in perspective.
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Some things may be limited to third world countries, but poverty, homelessness, hunger and violence are sadly present in even the richer countries, and it is true that priorities are different when such things touch your life.
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Well put, Sue. I’ve had to remind myself of some good things a few times recently.
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We all do, Graeme…
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Reblogged this on Where Genres Collide Traci Kenworth YA Author & Book Blogger and commented:
It has been raining harder than I’ve ever seen it here in the states. My house is on a hill and drains well but even it has been overrun with puddles.
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Thanks, for sharing, Traci. The little car park outside my son’s home has been a lake most of the winter.
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You’re welcome, Sue! It’s been awful with the rain almost all winter. Very little snow here and there, not that I’m complaining about that. Just fear we’re in for a rough summer.
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It has been much the same here too.
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We’ve had sunshine, interspersed with downpours, for two days in a row here too! 😀 .. rain is forecast for the rest of the week, but, you never know. 🙂
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I’m waiting to see what this morning brings 😉
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