Joy is Like the Rain

Last night I slept in a little Agape cabin at Sound View. I was cozy and warm looking up at the peaked ceiling and knots in the wood. Outside, for most of the night a storm was raging. The wind was peaking at 30 knots and the rain was falling heavily at times. Overall - nice sleeping weather when you are safe, cozy, and warm.

I woke early - I usually do - rejoicing in the fact that the sun would rise early now that the clocks were set back to end daylight savings time. There is always a folk song (or two) that I am singing and usually one sticks around in my head for hours at a time until I pull out a uke or guitar to get it out into the open where it belongs. Today’s song is Joy is Like the Rain by Miriam Therese Winter.

The first verse …..

I saw rain drops on my window, Joy is like the rain.
Laughter runs across my pane, Slips away and comes again.
Joy is like the rain.

It was 5:30 and I peeked out the window to see what the sky looked out. It looked wet outside and the trees were still moving but the rain had stopped. I slipped on by big, yellow rain-boots and stomped outside with Lucky the Dog. Lucky and I stomped over to where there was a coffee pot and about twenty minutes later, mug in hand, we hiked towards the waterfront to watch the sun rise.

The second verse of the song goes like this …

I saw clouds upon a mountain, Joy is like a cloud.
Sometimes silver, sometimes gray, Always sun not far away.
Joy is like a cloud.

We got down to the waterfront just as the eastern sky was starting to light up. There were some majestic clouds to the east so I knew that I wouldn’t see a picture-perfect scene but it was still quite pretty. I had to take a picture of the totem pole cross was it was lit up by the sunrise. At the same time, the crescent moon was still in view. How cool was that?

The third verse …

I saw Christ in wind and thunder, Joy is tried by storm.
Christ asleep within my boat, Whipped by wind, yet still afloat,
Joy is tried by storm.

We went down to the beach to make sure that the boats were OK. My little commuter boat (pulled up onto the dock) was still there but the dock, ramp, and the boat on top were still visibly bouncing around due to the storm’s waves still present. I won’t be boating home today. While stomping back across the soggy waterfront field, I noticed a little flower peeking out from amidst fallen leaves.

The final verse ….

I saw rain drops on a river, Joy is like the rain,
Bit by bit the river grows, 'til all at once it overflows.
Joy is like the rain.

Lucky and I hiked up the trail and were met by some of our guests from the Jesuit Volunteer Corps venturing down to where we just were. They too, had smiles on their faces - and maybe songs in their hearts.