The Scent of Life

New rain falling. I love the gentle touch of the water on my head, my face, my hands. I love the smell of the first droplets wetting the ground, washing the leaves and plants. That smell is the same everywhere on the planet; certainly everywhere I've been. In Ottawa or Toronto or Vancouver, Canada; in Boston, Chicago, San Antonio or Chico; in Portland, Bend, Ashland or Nyssa, Oregon; in Beijing or Huairou, China; in England, France, Israel, Palestine, Jordan or Turkey; in Cairo, Giza, Taba, Sharm el Shaikh or Luxor, Egypt. The smell of renewal, of life, of cleansing. I am awestruck and humbled by its magnitude!