I awoke at 5.45am this morning, a little earlier than usual but near enough to when I would normally rise.

As I lay in bed doing my morning stretching ritual, I heard the most amazing sound.

At first, I thought it was the wind, but no, it wasn’t rushing like the wind.

And then I thought it was maybe the beginning of the airport curfew lifting and planes coming in, but no it wasn’t the loud whooshing of engines.

It was something else more subtle, gentle, peaceful.

Easing its way to where I was.

Slowly moving in my direction, announcing its approach.

And then I realised…it was the sound of rain.

Not hitting my own tin roof yet, but the roofs and roads and pavements and parks in other places, and in doing so heralding its arrival to my own neighborhood.

I’d never really heard this before, or if I had, not really registered what it was.

It was beautiful, calming, magnificent.

Nature at its best.