Wait for the rain

Last Friday, very early in the morning, it rained at home. It was not too heavy or too light.
It was just right, refreshing, clearing the dust in the area, soothing the dry palm tree plants in our compound, washing away the films of dust that we battle to keep away every day, making the grass greener and the soil browner. It even made the birds chirp more cheerily.

I love when it rains while I am half asleep and can hear the raindrops falling on the roof. There is something soothing about the sound.

We tend to leave some windows open for fresh air through the night so when the rain gets heavy, one of us has to get up to shut the windows.

Sometimes I shall check to see that the girls are well tucked in and covered. After that, I snuggle into bed, pull the covers around me tightly and go back to sleep, I am sure with a smile on my face.

So on Friday morning, I enjoyed that morning sleep. Lucky for me, I did not have to wake up at 5am. We have decided that Fridays are the days I can have a snooze in, so if I do not have to be at work by 8am, then I can sleep in late, as hubby and the help get the girls ready for school.

It’s taken some time to get used to as it has meant a change of routine. At first I found myself not sleeping well in the morning, checking my phone constantly to see if I had missed a call or not checked an urgent message.

That wasn’t helping the cause so I decided if I was going to rest, I was going to rest completely. So now I get much-needed rest and I do not feel tired when I come in to work on Sundays.
Last Friday’s morning rain was particularly refreshing. I woke up to a pleasant silence. The air felt fresh. The breeze coming through was cool. I walked in my room barefoot, something I am not fond of doing.

But on this day, I just felt free enough to do whatever I wanted. I was not under pressure to wake up at a certain time or follow the usual routine. I indulged in a long bath and my prayer time felt joyful. It felt like a new day.

There are times in life when the blanket of darkness and hopelessness feels heavy, almost choking and you wonder why you have not given up yet. A rebellious child. The death of your closest friend. The betrayal of a business partner. The dark abyss your marriage is going through. The uncertainty you face at your job. These are some of the things that can threaten to engulf your soul. But the rain comes. It always does, and many times it does so at the least expected time.

Not allowing the darkness to envelope you is sometimes the hardest thing to do, but when you keep waiting for the rain, when it comes, it brings about the most relief. Wait for the rain.