Desert Rain

Last year we had a little rain shower or two while driving across the desert (Sonoran).  It felt strange then, so you can imagine what it felt like yesterday when torrents of rain fell upon the desert—all the way from Tucson AZ to Las Cruces NM.  Last night here in El Paso TX we had heavy rain with thunder and lightning.  We will drive today from El Paso to “Somewhere” TX.  The temperature will be about 70° and rain is not expected.

Rain is supposed to bring forth new life to the barren landscape of the desert according to all those nature films I’ve seen through the years.  I was tempted to hang around a day or two and see if this rain-drenched desert might come alive with blossoms and so forth, until a fellow told me it was the wrong time of the year for that to happen.  “You need to come back in April or May to see the effect of this rain,” he said.  I may just do that!

We have a tendency to expect things to happen overnight—whether it be the desert coming to life after one rain, or for our problems (individual or societal) to go away after a good night’s sleep.  We know it doesn’t happen that way, but we keep hoping all the same.

“Since 1968, 1,516,863 have died from guns on American soil,” someone has reported.  Isn’t that enough “rain” to bring about some kind of discussion about the issue?  It is not just an issue of mental illness, parental discipline, or religious faith that is needed.  Prayer ain’t goin’ do it!  Sleeping on it isn’t going to solve it.  Let’s talk about it—then let’s do something about it.  “Yes, we can” do something about it.  There has been enough “rain” and it is time now for new life to blossom forth in the barren and deadly desert of guns.