Early Morning Rain

I'm rereading and thinking about E.B. White's classic essay "Once More to the Lake" in which he recounts visiting a lake from his childhood in Maine which brings back memories of childhood which allows him to consider both the impermanent things of life and the permanent things of life. My visit to the lake this morning is early morning rain in Pelham where I live. There is no great philosophical substance to early morning rain as far as I can discern. But it is one of the permanent things of our life that can invite reflection if the rain is not spoiling your day, ruining some plans you may have. My take on the early morning rain falling on my house is that it normally doesn't rain much in October where I live, but I see a slow, drizzling rain this morning that looks like it might last all day. This has been an unusual year, hasn't it? Perhaps an early morning rain in a normally dry month breaking up the usual Indian Summer is just what we need. I see the rain as a sign of hope rather than resignation, a slow soaking of the earth that keeps us active and engaged. Let it rain. I have nowhere to go today. I am free to reflect. The rain does not bring back any childhood memories like the lake did for White, but the continuing regularity of nature is something to calm the soul.