Being in the moment is often a challenge for me. I work on that concept daily. But, when that moment is one of torrential rain which stretches from moment to hours as you are watching your hard work get washed away, the challenge for me becomes far greater.

The last two days on Kauai have been full of monumental rains. Like 12″ in 12 hours. The gardens have been under water or with streams of water running through them. The raised beds are faring better, but are compressed and sad. The damage is devastating to witness. We plant from seed and tend seedlings so carefully. We hand plant out thousands of baby starts with such tenderness and then cultivate them with equal sensitivity. To see that work trashed in a day is difficult.

I like the changes in weather that we get on Kauai. People often think it is a boring repetitive scenario of sun and more sun. But, we get lovely trade winds, clouds whizzing by in a show that can take your breath away, gentle caressing rains that bless the ground and our plants, cool days that make the wood stove we have a welcome addition to our home.  I wish on days that are so extreme as the one we had yesterday that I could just snuggle in and light that wood stove and make a pot of soup and be cozy and content. But, just outside the windows of this sturdy shelter that is our home, the destruction to our farm is being carried on before my eyes.

Day like that are a challenge for me to remember the larger picture. To rest in the moment and recall all my other blessings. To remember that this too shall pass. The sun will shine again. The gentle breezes will blow again. The gardens will amaze me in their resilience once again. And I will continue my own internal work of treasuring the moment, even when that moment is difficult.

better days

deluge