The silence that surrounds me is palpable, as the wind has stilled and the birds have stopped their singing. It's both mesmerizing and unsettling to be enveloped in this natural quiet.

I gaze up at the sky and see dark clouds gathering, heralding the approach of a storm. All I can do is wait it out, knowing that after the storm passes, the air will be freshened, the earth will be cleansed, and the beautiful flowers will finally receive the water and sunshine they have been longing for.