We wandered for hours through this forest, long enough for our shoes and most of our clothes to be soaked through. We had hoped for a change in the forecast, but here we were. And it was beautiful in an unanticipated way.
Rain brings out the details in the landscape. There is less focus on the grandeur of the towering peaks, and much more on the intricate beauties of the landscape. The way water droplets collect on flowers and leaves, the vibrant greens of the foliage, and the slow, rolling fog that gently graces the mountainsides.
There were times when I just wished the sun would peek out from behind the clouds, and for a few fleeting moments, it would. Not long enough to make much of a difference to our condition, but a welcome sight nonetheless. And I was struck by how days like this are necessary for life to thrive. For the forest to shine in the sun, it must first undergo the deluge.
The more I venture out, the more I find that truth about life is buried all around us, all throughout creation. This lesson was one I’d heard before, and I’m sure you have too. But it’s one of those truths that can be all too easy to forget when the rain begins to pour.
