Rain, Rain, Go Away

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We have had two weeks of rain and another week of rain predicted in the forecast. This includes lightning and thunder.

I was remembering how different rainy days seemed in my childhood. There were a lot of rainy days and we were outside enjoying them. Most of the time we were barefoot; splashing around in puddles. I don't remember very many times that we had to worry about lightning striking us. All we had were rain showers. Oh, yes, we had an occasional thunderstorm. But they were rare and I didn't understand where the booming was coming from. Grandma always told me God was moving furniture around. I always imagined God as a huge giant because that furniture had to be awful big to make a noise that loud.

I remember as I grew older walking in the rain. Rain never kept me inside. I would stroll down the gravel road or wonder through the woods behind the house. In those days we had nothing to be afraid of.

Grandma had a big front porch with a porch swing and wooden rocking chairs. I would sit in the swing and read on rainy days. It is one of my favorite memories. I can still smell the freshness of wet earth and hear the raindrops tapping on the tin roof.

The days of rain showers seem to have disappeared. For years all we have had around here are thunderstorms with lightning striking all around the house. With me screaming and my heart flip-flopping when the lightning strikes the ground or a tree with a house shaking boom.

You have to be careful when you go outside. Really you have to be careful inside the house. Flashes of lightning are right outside the window so you can't be close by the windows. Lightning will strike you through the glass.

No walking in the rain, no sitting on the porch during the rain,........."rain, rain, go away, come again another day"......