Just in Time For The Deluge

Home at last from our three month road trip means readjustment to the complexities of urban life we knew before. Thankfully, the yearly cycle of summer soaking in South Florida slows down this transition process. Now I will remove myself from such routine-driven inconvenience and find ample time to bask in wonder amidst the tropical greenness of our waterlogged climate. No doubt, I desire to sit on my patio and appreciate the opportunity to experience “pity- patty silence” in the ceaseless rainfall. For today, I will realize that the rare sighting of a roseate spoonbill congregating in our adjacent lake or the echoed clap of approaching thunder provides more interest than venturing out on the wet highways today.

I also will find satisfaction In knowing that summer rain idleness also brings a much needed rest for my steady 2008 Honda. No doubt, the pelting rain  provides a natural way to wash my car of caked-on dirt and nasty, insect entrails embedded on the body from over 12,000 of long distance driving. Intrinsically, the inconvenience of emptying the trunk and backseat in my car of overloaded storage in pouring rain feels equally useful as I logically begin to question how much stuff I really need to live comfortably at home.

Certainly, I am somewhat “out of touch” with the latest talk in the Fort Lauderdale community after my long absence here. Yet, I can ease in to the idea of being social again amidst our likely, storm-related Internet loss today by striking up a weather conversation with nearby residents who live in close proximity to us in our two story condo building. Perhaps, I may even brighten someone’s spirits then with my brief prognosis of a sunnier day tomorrow.

Never knowing when the rain will end, I think of productive ways to change my time- tested routines at home. Use chopsticks to savor your appetite more slowly, find that perfect novel, or go through your latest collection of travel brochures piled in your spare bedroom. Most importantly, enjoy the idea that these slow downtimes at home again in such inclement weather conditions will reenergize you mentally/physically for your next travel adventure.