Last night it suddenly started raining. I was not reading any book nor was writing about anything. Just sitting there on my favorite seat and thinking about the day – and the previous day. Dazed! Humbled!  Then it started raining. First it was a ‘tip – tap on the window then a soft and steady swishing sound, sending me deep into my reverie

Rains were in the weather forecast but during the day in-spite of an overcast sky, we didn’t see a drop of rain. It was just muggy and gloomy  – though not gloomy for me. I usually enjoy such days. Had it been overcast and also cold, then it would have been a perfect day for my annual ” Dr. Zhvago ” viewing.  But no, it was not a wintry day.

I don’t expect snow where I live but there comes a time every year when there is a freeze advisory issued and the mercury dips down to freezing point. When this  happens, our neighborhood turns into a ghost town.  I mean all the vulnerable trees standing in the neighborhood front yards get wrapped in white sheets – cloth or plastic, making them look creepy, specially at night.  I am not making it up.  Have a walk around the neighborhood at night and you would know what I am talking about …  you would feel so spooked out you would want to sprint back  home to safety , feeling like someone is pulling you back, or some hundred pound weights are tied to your feet. Oh dear! fear is such a potent sensation!   All these ghosts watching you, standing in peoples front yards are disconcerting to the bravest of the hearts.

I remember one Christmas day, probably it was December of 1995 /96   THE coldest day of the season! Because of  too much load on the electricity as almost every household was having their heaters on, the electricity went off.  Imagine a Christmas day on the coldest day of December and no electricity to warm the house or even serve a warm meal! Even the sky was overcast and an extremely cold wind was blowing … Poor snowbirds who had come in search of a “warm Christmas” were even deprived of a decently warmed house. ( Having a fireplace in the living rooms was not a very popular idea then. Only an occasional house was blessed with a fireplace)

Around 1:pm, someone knocked on the door. It was Jenny Rawlings, who lived next door, with a dish in her hands. “Hi Raifi Merry Christmas! Here is this peach cobbler  for you. Good thing I baked it last night. Never saw Florida this cold.  This is all these snow birds – bless their hearts – bringing this cold with them.  And you know Raifi, Icicle are hanging from the trees on Red Bug road.’

” Oh come on Jenny how could that be? It is not that kind of cold ” I said. ” Actually someone left the sprinklers on- you know, for the grass on the pavements … ” she winked and laughed. ” Of course that water froze .. what do you expect ”

“Okay, now Jenny come inside. You are making me freeze to death” I said

“Oh no, I am going. Al is getting grumpy. He is sitting on the sofa all wrapped up in blankets and shouting at the Electricity department …” she stopped as if listening to something. ” Its  Al … I am coming, I am coming ! ”  who she was talking to? I didn’t hear anybody. Maybe it was some inner connection.

then she was gone.

I want to talk about  inner connections,  prayers being answered, special bonds, falling in love without seeing or meeting a person.  A pure and serene  love – like Kneeling before the Altar and lighting a candle, like honoring the union of the souls by holding your palms over the fire, like the call of a moezzan at dawn, rising to the heavens –

I want to talk about  severing all relations and still missing and yearning. Getting angry and stop talking and soon after start communicating like there never was any break.  Having a most enjoyable rapport with someone ….  one thinking  and the other listening  even being oceans apart.

It sound strange  but it happens. I know it happens!