Back in January, I was still working in Orange County so the commute
home always took me on the I-57 North, which, if you're familiar with
Southern California freeways, then you know that this one takes you
through some small rolling hills before hitting the I-10. I drove
through these peaks daily, but rarely noticed the beauty they offer
until after a week or so of regular rainfall. Instead, I mostly
grumbled about having to drive in the downpour (pictured below) and sit
in bumper to bumper traffic. I dislike driving in wet conditions as it
is, and most residents of the state will readily admit to being spoiled
by the usually sunny conditions, so when our rainy season hits, people
nearly lose their minds. It's as if we all forget how to drive when
water strikes. Our interstates are jammed packed already without
precipitation, but throw a storm into the mix and it looks like what
L.A. dubbed "Carmageddon" in 2011 when the I-405 temporarily shut down.
Simply put, many of us, while keenly aware of the need for it, don't
like the rain, at least not while driving. On January, 12, however, I
was heading home through the hills after the week of storms had subsided
and I was caught off guard by how beautifully green the landscape
looked as I passed by (see pictures below). It was as if I was seeing
everything for the first time. Had it always looked so colorfully
vibrant and just missed my attention or was there really a difference?
There was just something deeper and richer about the shade of green than
what it had been before the week of storms, and it wasn't long after
that when I realized the sweet parallels in the spiritual realm - To see
clearly, sometimes it takes the rain.
