No better way to relax...

than to sip tea and listen to a thunderstorm. Its raining hard in Annapolis this evening. Its still light outside, but the rain is beating down and all you hear is the "shhhh"ing of the leaves and crackling and rolling of thunder and lightening. Its a beautiful spring song.

I'm sitting in my bed admiring the view of the river and the rain out our large windows and feeling my body unwind from our busy weekend. I look out the sliding glass doors to my left and see the raindrops hit the wooden deck. Plop Plop Plop. The rain does not come down angrily, but more as if it were giving the earth a drink. Its refreshing, satisfying and warm. I feel clean and revived. I imagine how the trees must feel to soak it all up.

The thunder rolls on and on and I can hear it moving farther away. My son comes upstairs; the rain storm has awaken him. He hasn't been asleep very long, but he asks if we can hear the rain. He watches outside for a moment before finding his way back to bed. He asks my husband about the thunder. My husband tells him that the clouds are crashing and rolling all over themselves; that seems to appease him and he is happy with that answer.

The rain ceases and a gorgeous sunset replaces it. I can still hear thunder in the distance. Ahhhh. Refreshed, relaxed, revived. The rain has washed away my tension as it washed the earth. Peacefulness overcomes me and I'm ready for a good night's rest and a fresh new week.