No Brontophobiacs here

We had the most amazing Thunderstorm last night. There are still several things that can still awaken my child within. Thunderstorms are one of these things. They make me feel small, insignificant, wild and giddy. To let the atmosphere have complete control over my life for this brief period of time is somehow therapeutic and soul-cleansing. In the space of under an hour, we witnessed the thick warm darkness descending upon us, loud boisterous thunder and pounding rain . And just as quickly as it came, the clouds began to disperse. Light poured in the empty spaces and produced this rainbow that I was able to capture from Savanna's easterly facing bedroom window.

I momentarily thought the lightning had hit one of our trees and set our western slope aflame. I ran down to the deck to find that this glorious sunset. All of this crazy temperamental weather in one evening. If only my moodiness were as attractive.


To further make the hairs on my arm stand on end, I happened to be going through the stack of papers that Savanna brought home from school today. Savanna doesn't tell me much about what she does at school and I have to glean what little bits of information I can from the crevices of her backpack. Today she brought home the culmination of her 4th grade year at school and I was feasting on this enormous serving of Savanna. Sprawled on her floor, windows wide open, welcoming this wild weather, I discovered this essay and poem on Thunderstorms that Savanna had written in class recently. It was a very bonding moment for me, my daughter, and the universe.

Thunderstorms by Savanna Judd


I like thunderstorms. They are my favorite kind of weather. I like them better than snow or sunshine any day. This is why I love thunderstorms. The first reason that I like thunderstorms is because sometimes when it is raining very hard during a thunderstorm, me and my sister run around outside until we are so wet that someone would think we had just come out of a pool after swimming in our clothes. Then we sit on the patio and watch the rain while eating our favorite kind of homemade popcorn our mom just made.

The second reason why I like thunderstorms is because when I am in bed at night, I love the sound of rain pat-pat-pattering on the rooftop, and even love the sound of thunder. Sometimes it keeps me awake and the only thing I can hear is rain, and I can only see darkness. Then I fall asleep.

The third, and last reason why I like thunderstorms is because after a long thunderstorm, the next day is always so green. Every single leaf on every single tree seems ten times more shiny and green, covered with raindrop. Even the grass looks beautiful. And sometimes, when you look over the trees, you see a radiant rainbow, shining under the sun, which makes the many puddles shine and glitter like watery crystals.

Rain

by Savanna Judd

Rain falls on the ground

like a hand

pounding a poem on paper

creating a song

with the steady

beat of the rain.

The song

starts an adventure

a mystery.

While the rain still falls

and the writer dreams

of stories

of thoughts

of memories