Life Before Cancer, Part 4

Some of the greatest hearing experiences come from the environment. I think when you hear the sounds of a car going past you, construction happening, a honking horn, all that neat stuff. What I dont think many people do though is step outside at night and listen to (let me steal this from the production) the music of the night.

I can clearly recall the night I first stepped outside and heard crickets. The chirping sounds that they make. It really made me curious because I really had no idea what the sound was or how it was made. I later learned that the cricket rubs its hind legs together to make that noise, but what a discovery. I also listened to leaves rustling in the tree in our backyard. The sound was like a pair of nylon pants rubbing together followed by a whoosh and rattle/crackle kind of sound. It was amazing. There is a ravine not far from where I live and I remember walking through there and hearing the sounds of a stream running. The gurgle of the stream as it ran across rocks and stony outcroppings. It was amazing. The calm and constant sound of the water running its course.

I save the best of all though for the last. I am sure many of you can relate to this and so I am going to spend some time on it. Do many of you recall your first Thunderstorm? I do. I opened the door and stood there on the porch as the rain poured down. I was covered by the front porch...I wanted to hear the sounds, not get soaking wet. At first it was a gentle pitter patter as the rain struck the aluminum parts of the porch, then the sound got louder as the rain fell harder. Soon it was an overpowering barrage of rain and all I could hear was the roof above me and the splashing of the drops hitting the rain soaked driveway. I could hear the drops splashing in the pools of water that were forming. Then it happened, as if out of nowhere natures majesty exposed herself just for me, and with that, a huge flash of light as lightning struck some far away place. Remember, I had no idea what was about to happen next. KAAAABBBBBOOOOOMMMM!!!! and you saw one teenage boy jump straight out of his skin. I was focusing so hard on the sound of the rain that the blast of thunder damn near put me in tears. It scared me so badly that it was not only the ground that shook with the explosive sound, it was me that shook right along with it. I bit my lip and settled myself. Welcome to thunder, I thought to myself. I was grateful that nature gives us that subtle warning that is lightning and as the night wore on, I learned to cover my ears as soon as I saw the warning shot of bright light.

Ever since that evening, I have been completely hooked on thunderstorms. I love them, I pray for them and when they happen, you can almost always find me on the front porch enjoying every second of it.

For all the material things that we have in life, I think that we forget the beauty that mother nature bestows on us for our own personal enjoyment. I dont know if you have sat outside in a while and listened to a thunderstorm, and i dont mean just listen, I mean really listen. Turn off the other sounds and really hear the drops of rain hit the ground. If you haven't, make sure you do. Its a real treat and those of us who choose to immerse ourselves in its beauty are much richer for it.

LiveSTRONG!