Morning Walk – It Rained Last Night

Morning Walk – It Rained Last Night

 

Yesterday morning began with a cup of coffee, gently brewed by my father-in-law.
Later, on our way to Newark Cathedral for my niece Haram’s graduation ceremony, I had another cup.
And after the ceremony, a few sips of Thai iced coffee at a Thai restaurant.
That trio of coffees kept me tossing and turning through the night.

At some point, I got up and looked out the window—
Rain was falling, accompanied by flashes of lightning.
I stood there for a while, quietly watching the rain in the still of the night,
then slipped back into bed.
But sleep stayed just out of reach.
Like someone treading water, I lingered near the surface of slumber,
until I heard my wife stirring beside me. I got up too.

By then, the rain had stopped,
and a soft beige hue stretched along the horizon.

Our youngest son had stayed the night at our place.
I peeked in to see if he was awake—
and he was, already out of bed.
My wife suggested a walk along the shore with him.
Based on past experience, I’d say the odds of him agreeing were about 1%.

But to our surprise, he said, “Yes.”

In the flower bed beside the path to the beach,
petals of wild roses had fallen like soft confetti,
scattered by the night’s rain.
And so the three of us—my wife, our son, and I—
took a quiet stroll by the sea.
The breeze was gentle, the waves calm.
A perfect moment of peace.

The dark clouds drifted away,
and the sun began to show its face.

Watching our youngest respond so readily to his mother’s invitation,
I thought to myself—
he's growing up.

Time flows quietly onward.
My wife and I are slowly aging.
And yet, under the morning sun that pushed through the passing clouds,
everything felt unusually bright and clear.