After the Storms

The warm, humid air with a hint of honeysuckle mixed in assaulted my nostrils as I walked through the doorway following the thunderstorm. Although I had expected the air to be cool, crisp and clean; washed by the storm, it was not. Instead it was full of musky odors. It was damp and alive with the smells of life. I enjoyed the smells of the freshly mulched flowerbeds as I stood there on the porch.

The dark clouds that had brought the storm were clearing and I could see stars beginning to fill the space between them encouraged by the fast approaching darkness.

The honeysuckle in the breeze was light, wafting and enticing me to pause and enjoy the moment. It was a magical moment, caught between the ending of the day and the clearing of the storm. A timeout on the playing field of life for a reset.

And then, Makayla, my dog, reminded me why I had opened the door to venture out in the first place and the spell was broken.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD