Love is the River of Life by Barry Hughes

I was caught in a sudden storm as I walked this day. One minute, the sky was beautiful; a striking sunrise contrasted by dark summer clouds. All the regulars were out and about, each of us doing whatever it is that we do every morning: running, walking dogs, strolling the streets. Then,suddenly, the rains came. In an instant people scattered and hurried away. I was far from home and quickly was drenched from head to toe. I worried about my phone getting too wet. I was concerned about my AirPods. And I was really thinking about the thunder and lightning.

As I walked toward the park and, hopefully, to an empty pavilion, I paused under a tree and was amazed at how quickly the streets had filled with water rushing to the gutters. There was something beautiful about this impromptu river as the pouring rain danced upon the flowing surface. The sounds of the storm were a soundtrack playing softly in the background. It was strange to be so happy to find myself drenched and far from home, but here I was.

Henry Ward Beecher wrote, “Love is the river of life in the world.” Like the sudden storm, love sometimes catches us off-guard and surprises us. Sometimes love is a steady river that flows constant through our lives year after year after year. Wherever love finds us, however love finds us, it carries us a bit farther on our journey through this life. And as we are carried on the current of love, we are changed. That is my hope and my prayer.

Peace.