After the Rain...

First rain of the season and already the air is full of fresh aroma. My grandparents and I drove down the streets of Temecula this evening after a mexicana dinner and I stuck my head partially out the window inhaling the smells of wet pavement, wild sage, damp sycamore maples, and a hint of eucalyptus. I felt like a hound dog with his nose sky high trying to suck in all the many new and curious smells of the world in one breath. Even though Temecula was once the proverbial agrarian town of the golden era, the California housing boom in the 1990's did not completely stifle the natural fragrance of the land. The eucalyptus was a nice surprise. Some of my favorite smells I have discovered include lemon grass, lavender, basil, and of course eucalyptus. I love how we were created with five senses! I find it enthralling that one can have a multi-sensorial experience. Just imagine. You are walking along the shoreline barefoot. You feel the cold wet sand give way to your footsteps as you feel the frigid wind whispering by your ear, which turns into shrill whistles. You see the golden rays melting against the sky at twilight and the white foamy water reaching up to grab hold of the dripping sandcastle that is now turning into a gothic cathedral. The air smells clean and crisp and the faint taste of salt is upon your lips. Wouldn't life be dull without all these avenues of feeling? After the rain falls, the earth is cleansed, freshness is restored, and new life springs up. With all the crime, hatred, and ugliness in the world....Life, to me, is still beautiful. Vita bella.