I’m sitting on my porch right now. Lightning has been shooting through the sky for about fifteen minutes and the thunder that follows it is making its voice heard.

The first drops of rain are beginning to fall. It looks as though we’ve got a genuine east-coast-style thunder storm on our hands!

Something about this moment feels so American to me. Something besides the fact that I’m drinking a Budweiser…

On the rare occasion that we get a thunderstorm out here in California, I’m unequivocally reminded of my childhood. I had forgotten how much I missed sitting on our porch back home in New York, just watching the rain. When I was growing up, my Dad often used to take me up to my grandparents just before the storm would begin. We would sit on the porch – usually with my Grandpa Lauster and talk or reminisce. Seems like I had a lot more time to reflect back then. Or perhaps I just had a lot less to reflect about?

I hope all my ex-east-coaster friends here in California got to relax and enjoy the thunderstorm this evening. It sure felt good.