What a funny thing to say. It rained! Back on the 19th it really rained for about 20 minutes. Henry (the cat) was very excited and confused. Zeke (the other cat) hid somewhere and came home after. Everything smelled amazing.

We all know what rain is. We all experience it. But this means something different to me than it does to most people in the world. The last time it rained here was .. in May? We didn’t have rain in June, anyway. So it’s been at least 4 months since the last time it rained here. What’s more, there is no telling when it’ll rain again. Typical would be the end of October. It could not rain again until January (unlikely). Quite possible it won’t rain again for another month or two. Which makes it kind of a big deal.

I happened to have lunch with my mother the next day. When I mentioned the rain, she pshawed. “You call that rain?” I’ve lived within 200 miles of my mother for most of my life – so our experiences of weather are pretty similar. Now she lives about 3 miles from me, so you would think that if it rained on me then it rained on her. But I happen to live between two little mountains, and it is quite possible that it really rained much harder here than there. Or maybe she just didn’t poke her head outside for those 20 minutes. I’m guessing the former.

My recent experience of rain is different than my neighbors’. I happened to have travelled to a place it rained back in June (my sister in Washington). We saw snow up close during that trip as well.

All of which serves to remind to me: we all experience this life differently. It rained! For me that was exciting. And a big part of that is because I happen to live where I do. If I lived somewhere else it would not be a big deal. So partly that’s who I am and partly it’s my current environment. And it’s just rain.

There’s a lot more personal experiences we do and do not share, and a lot more difference in our environments – past and present. I should keep an open mind and try to be empathetic.