Summer Storms

Lately I’ve been paying more attention to patterns – in everyday routines; what I’m thinking, saying and doing; what I’m reading and writing; the clothes I’m wearing; and most especially in the world around me.

At first I was resistant to them because they felt too confining, too predictable, too “normal”. But slowly, over the past few weeks, I’ve started to regard them as reminders, sometimes as a muse, and often as a guide. And now they fit better.

One of my favorite patterns has been the daily afternoon thunderstorms here in Atlanta. Our summers here are fairly predictable: HOT and HUMID. That hasn’t changed, but I don’t remember there being this many regular, set-your-watch-by-them thunderstorms. Vivid lightning, rolling thunder, heavy rain, sometimes small chunks of hail… all starting just before afternoon rush hour.

And while I don’t enjoy what the storms do to my commute home, it’s still pretty cool to pause for a few minutes and watch the storm rolling into town. Now it’s time to drive home…