The physical rain stopped

So, depending on where you live, you might have noticed that it has stopped raining for about a week. It has been raining almost consistently for weeks now, ruining a perfectly good summer with heavy, energy-draining humidity.

It seems as though the drops of rain falling from the heavens stopped only to allow the drop of tears to fall from my eyes. I have a pretty good perspective on things in my life, and I can typically handle a decent amount of conflict - indeed, I require a small amount to thrive. However, an alcoholic brother who is slowly killing himself, a sis-in-law who is taking the fast-track off the earth (then finding out she is pregnant by my "clipped" brother), the unending phone calls from the former and family, and the very unfortunate death of my friend's sick little boy - wow - I'm a little overwhelmed.

I will gladly welcome the physical rain back anytime....but the forecast only calls for "variable cloudiness" - WTF is variable cloudiness?

Dear Jared

I'm sorry I didn't come see you more often and I am sorry I never got to bring your "best buddy" over to see you. I was always afraid one of us would get you sick, and I never wanted to be responsible for that. If I had known how short your time with us would be, I would have done things different. Hindsight is 20/20, I know. But you have reminded me of an old lesson - time on earth is short and precious.

You might not have known it, but you brought amazing joy to a lot of people and provided a belief in miracles to the same. We know you are whole and resting now - please send some of that peace our way. Thank you for holding on so we could all say goodbye - we'll hold you in our hearts forever.

No hand is too small to touch the world. You sure touched ours.