Of Rains and Memories

For the first time since the start of summer, I did not have the fan pointed directly at me. It's raining and much as I hate getting wet, it is a clear and much welcome respite from the humidity that we all felt during the summer months. Last week was the start of the rainy season as what PAGASA (our weather bureau in Manila) said so we better brace ourselves for more rains, floods and more traffic.

Plants get their much needed water during the rainy season, the grass seems greener every time it rains, and we tend to be a in a slowdown mode during this season. While typing, it is both soothing & pleasant to hear the sound of the rain on my roof with a cup of coffee on my table.

One of my fondest memories of the rainy season is when my mom would whip up a hot chicken macaroni soup to match the weather. With a lot of milk and flaked chicken, I would blow it impatiently. The feel of the warm soup running in my throat is enough to quench a child's boredom in being confined indoors.

With my own family, I'm not a good cook as my mom was but we do have our own memories to share. When the lights are out because of a storm, we would all gather in the living room and take turns telling stories to keep us pre-occupied. With all the darkness surrounding us and with just a candle, scary stories become the fave topic among all. It may sound so simple but that simplicity itself makes it endearing as it makes us bond more to each other. The absence of the TV, radio or computer makes us break free from the distractions that hound us everyday.

Well, that goes for my rainy season memory bank. Care to share yours?