(Written by a freshman at the University of Macao)
The air in the evening was sweltering. I’d rambled all day at the national zoo and was on my way home when suddenly there was a powerful flash in the sky followed by rumbling thunder. The dark clouds became thicker and thicker, and I put up my umbrella as I waited for the inevitable rain.
More lightning….thunder….and then a torrential downpour. The increased force of the wind made walking difficult.
My umbrella trembled and then was whipped about, it’s metal bars bent toward me. I feared that it would be broken and fought to fold it up again. Hanging my head down a little, I used one hand to keep the rain out of my eyes.
The wind was howling as it rushed by my ears. Rainwater was attacking my body. I felt as if I were fighting a battle all alone even though street lights were lit as usual and I could see other people on the street.
I ran to the shelter of an awning outside a restaurant that was already providing a reasonably dry place for dozens of people. I slipped through the crowd so that I could stand in the back – next to a window. The rain beating fiercely against the ground had the sound of soldiers at target practice.
I leaned my head against the glass and found that it was trembling. The storm wasn’t just a problem for people; even the building was in danger. There we stood – with the cold winds blowing against us, water flowing over our feet, and all of our clothes soaked. It wasn’t the best of evenings, but it was one I wouldn’t soon forget.
While standing there, I turned to look through the window and was attracted by a table at which a man and a little boy sat, bathed in the warm light of an orange-shaped lamp. It’s possible that they were father and son. They were oblivious of the bad weather in which all of us outside were standing. The child was enjoying the meal with his father who had just shared a beefsteak with him. Though I couldn’t hear anything they said, I imagined the following dialogue:
“Do you like it?”
“Yeah!”
“If so, you may have more…”
The rainwater continued to flow down through the overhead eaves and the streetlights showed it streaming into the ditch along the road. The rain was still heavy, but the wind was starting to die down and it had become much quieter.
Though we had some light as we stood there trying to keep dry, it seemed dim in comparison to the light around the father and his son. The air around them was bright – so bright that it made me feel warm. I felt that there was no reason to be tense any more; I was going to be fine.
I gave my wet clothes a squeeze as I tried to put them in order and the thought went through my head that people may fear the power of nature, but practically anything can be defeated by love.
Through the remaining drops of rain, I cheerfully made my way home.