Like the lightning flashes in the corner of my right eye glimpses of August wander through my mind. I was in Grinnell, Iowa this week. I began a new friendship and was introduced to the Iowa Chop. That pork chop would fill Paul Bunyan! Flying at subsonic speed in my Subaru using my cloaking device (Star Trek geek reference) I avoided the blue and red light specials busy pulling over less fortunate drivers. Mile after mile of gently rolling hills offered me glimpses of tasseled corn and green soybean plants. While I could not see them I knew some of God's people were living just off the concrete ribbon that carries me past them too fast.
Back home I walk in the cool morning (finally) after a night's storm that dumped buckets of rain on my brown, dormant lawn. Scattered blades of green already appear, a lawn awakening perhaps, one blade at a time-kind of like I opened my eyes this morning. Neighbors who faithfully watered their lawns all summer will smile tonight as they see that hint of green in my lawn.
Office curtains brush against my desk and fall back to the window sill like gentle waves lapping against a beach. Gray and black clouds hint at another rain and then cut loose without warning. Water spotted paper is pushed aside as I scramble to close the window I don't want to close. Let it rain, let it rain, let it rain! Outside a gang of children are caught in the downpour, soccer game and time on a swing is left behind. Barefoot, riding a bike, balancing a ball, yelling that leaves an echo in my ears as they race for home. "It's just water" I want to say but I probably would run too.
I had felt the shriveling of my soul like the brown stalks of corn in this summer's heat. Amazing what a little rain and cool breezes can do to 'green up' life again. I do believe I see a glimpse green pushing out of the brown, dormant soul I was living with just last week.
