They say, "April showers bring May flowers," but I've decided the May flowers aren't the only compensation for the rain.

Have you ever gone outside just after a soaking rain and seen how new and vibrant the green grass is? All that before seemed so very ordinary, now sparkles and dances as it dries off in the sun. It's almost as if all things have come to a newness.

After a robust rain shower, I sense the sound of awakening in multitude; a gladness comes in the form of birds singing their finest songs, bees buzzing by, and our little frog friend that peeks out from beneath the fronds that form a decorative fringe round the edges of his pond.

The darkening skies warn that I am about to hear the unmistakable drumroll on my roof announcing the heavens have released all the earth thirsts for. Fearless and fully-armed, Mother Nature gives her all, holding nothing back. The parched ground hungrily quenches its thirst; a farmer's fields eagerly accepts this gift for growth. Such is the spring and summer dance that has a special plan, yet wears no watch and keeps no calendar. Somehow, with a wisdom all its own and in good time, the rain subsides, and again all is well. The rapid rebound of all that was drenched is simply stunning.

Nature, sweet Mother Nature, how you tickle my soul! Your sense of humor, albeit sometimes cynical, keeps meteorologists guessing and sometimes even losing their jobs (you sneaky little devil, you!) Nevertheless you keep things exciting and ever-changing. There is no contract between you and us; you take the reigns (rains?) and do what you do better than any of us mere mortals ever could. You ensure things know when to sprout, when to flower, and when to dry and yield seed. You provide sustenance for so many living things. Oh, but there is so much more here to celebrate!

More amazingly beautiful is all that occurs AFTER the rain. To witness this aftermath~that is where you fill us to overflowing with promise and joy. Below the exquisite sky above, a celebration ensues! A marching parade of our chickens, ducks, and wild nesting birds delight in a feeding frenzy. Such happiness in harmony. At this moment, I see hope. Such profound complacency pervades every space that surrounds me.

And maybe we, too can find a space which holds peace and harmony within our own being.

We are survivors who emerged from a painful past; a time in our lives when angry, ashen clouds smothered and stole our future. We existed in such a dense darkness that dust couldn't dance. No drumroll needed to announce the rains that fell constantly, without remorse or reprieve. We were the innocent children wanting to dance in the sun, feel the freedom to sway in the breeze like the laundry drying on the clothesline, and grow to become every single bit of all we were meant, yet not allowed, to be. Much of the time, there was no distinction between our tears and the rain; both fell in copious amounts. I wondered, we ALL wondered if our rain would ever end. When finally we found ourselves saturated, tired, and beaten down, we found a way to stand up and walk away.

Something from within us- the hope that remained tucked inside of our weary souls- always whispered a promise that we would survive, and still be here after the rain stopped!

Now the time has come for us to heal and put our umbrellas away. Yes, my friends, OUR TIME HAS COME! After the rain, our souls thirst only for the wholeness and happiness we know we deserved all along. After the rain, we see things in vibrant color, and if happiness were a concrete object, it would look like a rainbow that we'd wear like a tiara! After the rain we and others clearly see how beautiful we really are! We sparkle and shine, we are new again! Just watch us as we bloom!

Oh yes, rain might fall again, yet we now walk proudly along our survivor path, and strut with all we've got, because we have emerged from darkness and have so much growing and living to do! Because survivors are industrious, nothing will stop us from here on in. After the rain we will jump squarely into puddles if we feel like it! After the rain we will bask in the sunshine until we decide to slumber within the shade of an old tree. After the rain we will rejoice...in all we have...every single blessing, large and small.

To think that had we not been caught in the rain, we'd not be who we are now! Living...REALLY living...THAT is our compensation after the rain! As for the abusers we left behind in the mud; let them wonder where we might be after the rain. They won't ever find us. We are free, our beautiful wings will soar! We have living to do! Don't worry about us now; for even after the rain, our happiness will remain...