I’ve wanted to experience one of the intense Sonoran Desert storms and finally got my wish! We plan to move to Arizona in a couple of years. We will live is in the desert highlands north of Phoenix. It is wild, beautiful country. One thing that my daughter has noticed living in “The Valley of the Sun” is that many of the storms in monsoon season are “up north”. Oh was I up north when this one hit!
Anticipation grew as we watched the storm slowly move toward us. It rains very little in the desert, but when it does, LOOK OUT! It will make up for lost time! When the storm finally hit, it was a total wash out. We couldn’t see beyond 50 ft because of the solid white wall of water. Thunder and lightening were loud and plentiful and then, before you knew it, the storm ceased.
After the storm passed, I was told go out and look quickly, it won’t last long –what I experienced was beautiful streamline waterfalls flowing down our cliff. They looked like shiny little precious silver necklace strands. There were so many! I wish I had a better camera to help them show themselves off! Within a few moments all that water gathered into the creek below and once again there was a loud roaring sound. The sound wasn’t thunder this time but from the flash flood. I’m just glad as I stood taking this photo from our house-pad that I was 300ft above it all!
Then the most glorious sight of all happened. The sky began to show off toward the west as the sun began to set. I was in the middle of majesty, surrounded by ocotilo, giant saguaro cacti responding immediately to the water. The cliffs even seemed pronounced. I was in complete awe. I found myself running from one place to the next to experience such beauty.
What analogy do I give this wonderful, scary, exhilarating experience? Should I leave it for the beauty that it provided? Should I compare it to the storms of life? I know that this same storm wreaked havoc further southeast and homes were flooded in a few communities. For me what brought excitement and beauty caused stress and insurance claims for others. Isn’t that the way it is sometimes?
I think that being someone who has suffered a few of life storms, I am tempted so say that sometimes, and I repeat sometimes, it is possible to have something of great beauty when the storm has passed. Maybe the beauty was there all along and the storm just helped enhance that beauty. I’ve been a part of people’s lives as storms have raged and watched them thrive. I’ve also seen the opposite. So, I’m not naive enough to say that all your storms will be something that leaves beauty behind. However, I think it doesn’t hurt to have hope. A new day is coming.
downtoearthpositive 