I noticed recently on Facebook that you can become a fan of Thunderstorms. Of course, on Facebook you can become a fan of essentially anything but for some reason I thought it hilarious that Thunderstorms now have their own fan page. They’re not a brand, or a product, or a company, they have nothing to sell, they will never know that they have fans, and they will never invite you to their next tweet-up.
In real life, I am also a fan of thunderstorms but I do not feel compelled to proclaim my love of rumbling thunder, striking lightning, and torrential downpours on Facebook and I take no issue with those who do. Instead, I have chosen to give my tribute to thunderstorms here on my blog.
For whatever reason, this June has been filled with storm after storm, some just simple rain and others that are a mess of high winds, sideways downpours, and incessant claps of thunder. Don’t get me wrong, I am a huge fan of the sunshine and weather that allows me to be outdoors. But during the workday or evening hours, especially bedtime, I love a good thunderstorm. The smell just before the rain is coming is quite possibly one of the most refreshing smells in the world. Any number of perfume companies have “Fresh Rain” or “Clean Rain” or what have you on their labels, but I think there is no way you could successfully bottle that smell and while I like it in its natural state, if someone truly did bottle that smell, I would not want to wear it.
I digress. I also love the sound of thunder. I’m lucky because I often know when it’s coming long before it ever arrives. How is this possible you might ask? My uber-sensitive dog goes into a state of panic and hyperventilation, panting so hard that I think she will run out of breath all while getting into whatever corner she can helplessly staring at the wall. In my house, we always have fair warning for when a storm is coming.
Thunder is amazing. It’s powerful and always has that message that you can never really predict or control Mother Nature. At night especially I find thunder somewhat soothing. In an odd way I would compare it to the relaxing feeling of sleeping on a boat while it gently rocks at anchor. The sound of thunder is pure nature and I think that’s what calms me.
And lightning is pure magic. Ok, I know it is actually pure science and I am confident that I learned the details of it in Earth Science at some point but I much prefer to think of it as magic. One morning I was riding my bike and a bolt of lightning streaked across the sky in front of me into what had become a rather dark sky. Needless to say I picked up the pace. Lightning in any state I find incredible. Recently there was enough lightning at one time to brighten up the night sky as I was driving across the Bay Bridge. Lightning is totally unpredictable; it shoots straight down, horizontally, in crazy zig zags, and it’s flash is usually enough to remind you that this is a serious storm.
I’ve been lucky enough to watch many thunderstorms on the Chesapeake Bay and from other waterfront vantage points and I am not sure that anything compares with that view. Watching a thunderstorm from my office window as rain pelts the sidewalk outside and watching a thunderstorm from a waterfront location, or better yet on a boat, are two drastically different experiences. If I had my choice, I’d watch a waterfront thunderstorm any day. Each one is different but they are all humbling.
From a gentle drizzle to the pounding, roaring, and drenching of a severe thunderstorm I am a fan of this act of Mother Nature.
