Our Time

With the amount of rain we have been having, outdoor activities have gone underground. While plenty of sunshine and good times await us, I also enjoy a good rainstorm [minus any flooding damage]. With rain comes, for me, a peaceful feeling. I'm more in touch with nature than other times. Watching the power and ferocity of a mighty storm is a contact high for me. It sounds corny but I do feel a real closeness with the Higher Power. The word ''awesome'' is not a word I use often because it is one of the most overused words in the English language. In life, it is used as a favorite description for anything [''Dude, these fries are awesome!']. But, the power of weather is awesome to me, there is no other word to satisfy the definition of Mother Nature. It is at these moments that I watch the skies and feel the winds. It is Life's Great Special Effect. After experiencing this marvel, I usually beat a hasty retreat indoors..... And, indoors, on a bad weather day, be it rain or snow, comes the cozy time. The sky has darkened outside, and darkness, to me, means the comfort of the home hearth. Something about bad weather requires my body to shiver a little and a blanket becomes a body friend. Naturally, you need something to watch and something to drink and something to eat. A good nosh of the forbidden things that a healthy person preaches about, but, of which I have dedicated my life to imbibing [''Hey, you kill yourself your way, and I will kill myself my way!']. Also, what makes the package of indoor enjoyment the most special is a special person by you....... We call it cuddling. We call it intimacy. We call it love. It is all of those things when you have a special person to hold. Whatever your description of it is, it is mighty nice. The lights have been lowered, maybe, a low light or candle is on somewhere in the room. A fireplace is doing its thing, a warm companion to be lying in front of. Fireplace flames are different than a regular fire flame. Regular flames speak something of the harsh truths in life--- angry, devilish, a thing to put out or stay away from. But, looking at a fireplace flame, all is forgiven of the evils of fire. It is mesmerizing, a topic to be talked about. Somehow, in the heat of the flame, comes the gentleness of quiet thoughts shared. A peaceful flame brings confessions and feelings of snuggling closer. We, as humans, are drawn to the warmth, for it gives our bodies the safety that we always crave in life....... You must have something to drink. That doesn't mean alcohol necessarily. If you find your ease in water or coffee or a pop, that works.But, let's face it: spirits are the preferred liquid. Some people drink beer or hard alcohol. Wine is my stimulant. A nice glass of red. It soothes me, putting me in the mood of my surroundings. I am a pretty good drinker with all other alcohol, but, wine has always been my Achilles Heel. A couple of glasses and I am not so much flying, rather, than I am very mellow. And affectionate....... Food must be nearby, as it is in every facet of my life. A standard meal is most welcome. However, I've found the little taste bits are the most valuable. Popcorn, cheese [goes great with wine, as we all know], maybe, a spare pizza that has wandered into my home. Food and affection go hand and hand with me. I can eat with the best of them. And, I don't know what it is, but, there is something about food that triggers the enzymes in my soul. It awakens joy. I could eat during a good time or during a bad time. If a nuclear war starts, look for me to have a mouthful of cheeseballs or fries. Or, both at once. In the finest of Italian traditions, food is always a comfort tonic in a crisis. You could have lost your foot, been told you have ten minutes to live, or be ducking falling safes, and food is prescribed. And, it does the trick!!! So, when you add food to a romantic and cozy moment, like by a fireplace on a bad weather day, your joy knows no limits....... Now, the most important ingredient. You have the bad weather outside. You have the juice that you are drinking. You have the food. All three already make a successful evening indoors. But, what tips the scale---because it is the most important--- is someone to be by your side. Your Cuddle Person. It may be the person you are in love with, or, it may be a close friend, or, a dog. But, someone being there makes you feel more powerful in your love. Everything else is a distant second. You talk the talk that is most comfortable for you two, words that no one else need not hear. You speak from the heart, the most previous place to speak from. The outside world is just that: outside, away from you. Your world, all that you really need in life, is right here. The bad weather conditions is symbolic of the harshness of life. But, here in your arms, you have created a world of love. There is no better world to live in. And, your partner shows the love back at you, be it a lick from a dog, a hug of friendship, or a precious kiss from your special one. Whatever happens outside, in that cruel storm of the world, does not matter. You Are Here, where you always need and want to be. It is ''Our Time''........ The choice of what to watch is, of course, subjective. I wouldn't, however, suggest a film about tragedy and murder [turn on the news for that]. The movie must be romantic or humorous, or something that enhances the moment you have created. And, it must be agreed upon between both parties. No room for experimentation. Your viewing must be another familiar friend, the video version of a comfortable pair of slippers. Your eyes must glow from what you are seeing, for it is a reflection of all that you experiencing around you........ I love days and nights like these. You could give me a tour of the most fun and exotic places around the world, with rich and powerful people to hang with, and, I would still choose this moment. These are the times in life that are most valuable, what you work hard for and aspire to in your private life. The simple joy of love and expressing it simply. And, to think, all it takes is just simple bad weather outside........ It also takes the love inside........