Downpour

At the downpour this afternoon, we had to pause our lesson to absorb the power of nature.  I could see in her younger brother's face (also one of my students) that he was a little afraid.  His mother said, we are safe here, and I saw him relax a little bit.  Her phone buzzed with flash flood warnings, and once again she assured him that this was not for where we live.  He went to the window to stare out at the gusts of rain.  Dropped on us like a bucket, the Japanese phrase that they knew and shared about such a crackingof the clouds.   As much as I wanted to continue our work on straight bows and good tone, I knew there was no way it would happening the next minute or so, or without some sort of transition.  And why should it?  One day I hope she and he remember the power of the rain and the wind while they are working on a bow stroke, hoping to evoke the immensity of nature in a way that we are not entitled to.  I would not want to rob them of this awe.  I only hope they can find it for longer and longer in their lives, the despite a growing trust in our fortified buildings.