There is something very special about the first rain after a long, hot, dry summer. Looking out at mother nature around us – withstanding the heat, dryness, and dust of the summer months – it can seem almost inconceivable that fall and winter will follow. But this somewhat bleak vision can also be an inspiration and a lesson. Nature shows us that if we are steadfast in our patience and grace toward ourselves and the world around us, we will get through the summers of our lives and the rain will come. And when it does finally come, and fills the air with that unique beloved smell of the first rain, it is a moment of relief, of joy, of reassured faith in the seasons of life and nature. The rain cleanses and nurtures, gives us a moment of pause to recharge, and carries within it the seeds of our future spring.