A Better Rain

This morning was one of those mornings that makes me wonder why I ever think that an extra hour of sleep could possibly be better for me than getting up early to take a walk by the ocean. The harbor in Santa Barbara is one of those places like the Biltmore Wall at sunset or the Elegant Farmer on a summer afternoon that for reasons I don't really understand, makes me feel incredibly happy, joyful really, thankful for what I've got and where I'm at, and comforted no matter what life is currently throwing my way. This particular morning was a glorious one.

More often than not, the sky in Santa Barbara is clear and blue. This morning though, the sky was one of my favorite kind of skies, lingering with rain. It kind of rained last night. At least, before dinner with friends I felt a little bit of that silly Santa Barbara rain that you can hardly feel because maybe a raindrop hits you every thirty seconds or so. At which point I actually even allowed myself for a moment to get excited about the possibility of a warm summer storm. A good summer storm is a rarity in Santa Barbara, an idea left now mostly just to nostalgic summer-in-the-midwest memories along with lightning bugs and early morning barefooting on a glassy lake and fresh berry pie, preferably baked in a brown bag and topped with ice cream. Things that I wish my summers in California could be full of. (Although, I am aware that Santa Barbara does have it's own fair share of summertime perks.)

The part of the sky over the ocean was dark with rainclouds on their way out to the islands, which caused the water to reflect in such a way that I could barely tell where the horizon line was. The sky and ocean appeared to be a seamless wash of a delicious hue of grey-lavender and a golden color that stopped me in my tracks and left me speechless for a moment. Latte in hand, I let my heart and mind wander and my eyes, ears and nose take in every bit of that harbor morning. The sun, the clouds, the colors, the salty harbor air mixed with the smell of rain, and the other happy morning risers out to greet and celebrate this good day. I felt my crazy, busy life slow down for a moment so that I could gain my footing and take a deep breath, breathing in appreciation for some of the day to day blessings that make up my life. Kind of like God gave me a time out. Not a misbehaving toddler being sent to the corner kind of time out, I'm going for the sports analogy here. Like, just a quick breather, a moment to gather my thoughts, refocus, and then continue on my merry way. This time, though, a little more hopeful, joyful and thankful in my soul for this life that in all of it's messiness is still filled with beauty and grace and goodness.