The Storms of Life

 

By G. E. Shuman

 

                “Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall.” Remember that old saying? We all can see that in that title rain is depicted as a negative thing. (There’s nothing like a rain storm to ruin a day at the beach.) A seemingly opposite thought is expressed in the Bible, in the verse which says: “He maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.” Matthew 5:45. In that case, the rain is seen as a good thing, as a blessing. Life requires water, and a rain storm provides that.  (There’s nothing like a drought to ruin a crop.) The thought of receiving “showers of blessings” strengthens that idea more.

                To be sure, every person experiences both showers of blessings, and the storms of life.  No family is immune to problems, some of which can be pretty big and destructive storms. Likewise, no family is totally bereft of blessings. In fact, in our land, and in our time, (even in a covid consumed environment,) blessings really are all around us. To me, counting them is as easy as counting my family members, friends, and sunny summer days.  

                Truthfully, I sat down at the ol’ laptop a few moments ago with no idea of what to write about this time. I used to teach my writing students about the ‘terror of the empty page’ problem that writers sometimes have when they just can’t start the process. That doesn’t often happen with me, but when it does personal stuff usually sort of spills out from whatever that aging gray matter thing is that is between my ears. I am never sure if I should try to avoid that happening, or embrace it. I have often told people that writing this column is my ‘therapy’; and that you folks are my ‘therapists’.  It is good to talk things out with you, sometimes. I hope you don’t mind.

                Without ‘spilling’ much more, I will admit that I and my family are facing a few brewing ‘storms’ of our own, as, like I said, all of us do.  No person, no family is perfect; likewise, no one gets through this life without a medical bump in the road or two.  You may be in the same boat as we are. In fact if you are human you must be to some extent. So, take heart. No storm, not even a big one, lasts forever. God is still good, and there are still many blessings to count and sunny days ahead. Thanks for listening.