It’s raining at the moment. After months of record drought in France we’ve had a couple of weeks or so of rain every day. According to the weather forecast this is the last day of rain for a week. “On verra”…..which is French for “we’ll see”.
I use “on verra” quite a lot, not least because predictions of all kinds are so unreliable. I suppose it’s a phrase you’d also use for “don’t count your chickens until they’re hatched”. At least, it’s something that helps me to let go of trying to force the future to conform to my wishes!
In the time it’s taken me to upload this photo, and write those first two paragraphs the rain has stopped and I see blue sky again, which reminds me of that other old classic saying “this too shall pass”.
The only certainty is change.
But while it was raining I looked out of the window at this puddle and couldn’t help slipping into a contemplation of the beauty of the patterns made by the rain drops falling on the surface of the water. Aren’t they wonderful and fascinating?
I remember learning about “interference” in Physics class at school and it’s one of those lessons which has remained vivid throughout my whole life. Each rain drop sets off little waves on the surface of the water and as the ever increasing circles meet each other they co-create these wonderful interlocking patterns.
Sometimes I wonder if this simple, “ordinary” phenomenon was the inspiration for both Celtic and Japanese art….the interlacing patterns and knots drawn by the Celts, and the simple, gorgeous little wave patterns drawn onto pottery and raked into stone gardens in Japan.
Watching these patterns emerge as the little splashes interact (and “interfere”) with each other, I find my mind doubling down on the reality of constant, unpredictable change.
I am entranced. I am enchanted.
Heroes Not Zombies 
Leave a Reply