Thunder. Loud cracking sounds fill the air. The intensity of its roar causes the ground to shake and sends vibrations through the windows and walls of the house. The grey clouds block out the sun, casting cool, gloomy shadows across the ground. An eerie sensation looms in the atmosphere causing me to feel slightly frightened. The air has turned cold and it lingers on my skin as it passes by, causing little bumps to form. Another loud rumble echoes through the clouds followed by a flare of light that appears unexpectedly out of nowhere, causing me to jump in shock once more.
Lightening. Bright white flashes light up the sky and the ground for just a split second. One, two, three, simultaneous bolts cross the sky, accompanied by another loud boom of thunder. I listen intently as another ferocious bolt makes contact with a tree, sending it crashing to the ground in the distance somewhere. As the thunder increases so does the magnitude of the lightening as it etches itself into the sky, sending its spooky glow to light up the ground and give everything a ghostly appearance. Almost on cue ice-cold water starts to fall from the sky.
Rain. Slowly marches down from the clouds. I can smell the freshness that comes with cool rain and I inhale it, savoring the way it makes me feel - alive. As the rain quickens its decent, I watch as the assaulting droplets attack all the delicate leaves of the plant life. The heavy sound of rain almost out does the paralyzing sound of thunder but eventually it all just sounds like white noise as the storm continues to unleash its wrath.
Thunder continues to roar, lightening bolts continue to occupy the sky and rain continues to fall, assaulting everything in its path to the ground. But all of a sudden, as quickly as it had started, it all stops. The clouds fade into the distance and the lightening and thunder no longer rule the sky. The devilish sounds of thunder are replaced by the serene chirping of birds. Continuous rays of warm sunshine replace the flashes of lightening and the assaulting rain no longer falls, just lies on the ground waiting to be absorbed or evaporated.
I had almost forgotten what a true thunderstorm feels like. How it leaves you slightly terrified but rejuvenated at the same time. How after its' horrific reign comes such beauty and peace. How the sweet smell of recently fallen rain makes you feel all sweet on the inside. How the sun that comes out after the storm, fills you with what feels like endless warmth. How the once chaotic storm is replaced by a beautiful peace.
I close my eyes and breath in deeply, taking in everything around me. There's always a calm after a storm and I've missed that. I open my eyes as I feel someone's arms snake around my waist and a warm tickling against my neck as they whisper in my ear.
'It looks like the storm has finally passed. Shall we go on with our original plan?' A male voice whispers with a touch of enthusiasm in my ear. I turn around in his embrace, capturing his lips with mine. We stay like this for a while, before the need for oxygen becomes to overpowering.
'Yes. Let's do that.' I say with a smile. He lets me go and steps to my side, taking my hand in his and we proceed to leave the house for the river.
As we walk side-by-side, content to be in each other's company, I can't help but think how much love is like a thunderstorm. There are those terrifying moments of whether or not it will all work out. Those fights that are like a storm, in the beginning, that leave you in a mess, wondering if the storm will ever pass. All of the big steps you take towards building a life together, that have you nervous to make them then wondering if the choice to make them was right. It's all just like a storm before the calm and beauty that succeeds it, the pure forever-living happiness of being together, the love you share and the knowing that the storm has finally passed.