During this unbearable heat wave, my son Gibson and I have been reminiscing about a time in his life when he started loving water and rain. Gibson was 3 1/2 years old, and during another particularly hot summer, he announced he wanted to be in the water all the time. “I want to be watered like the plants are watered. I want rain showers on me all the time,” he said.
Each morning he would go out on the back deck, and exclaim, “Water me.” So, I would spray him down with our sprinkler hose. Sometimes, when we were out for lunch, he would say loudly, “Mommy, Gibson needs a shower now. I need a shower now, right away. Again!” One time a mom at another lunch table said, “That is wonderful. I cannot get my kids to bathe, and your son is demanding a shower.” She didn’t know how high our water bill was rising and how I was running out of ways to keep him wet.
Once at the very end of a hot, dry summer day, we heard loud thunder. Gibson got his galoshes on and sat beside our front door, ready to go out at the first drop of rain. He took my hand and said, “Mommy, you need the rain too. You need to water your Mommy-plant. Your arms are droopy, and your smile looks dry.” “You’re right,” I said and sat down beside him waiting for the rain.
One more loud roaring thunder and it was pouring. He took my hand and together we walked out into the rain. We danced in the rain, covered our faces and arms with mud, and laughed together.
Now in this hot month, many years later, we wait for the rain with our galoshes, droopy arms and dry smiles, ready to go again!
Nettie Reynolds is a writer, published playwright and proud mom of two. Her writing has been featured in national magazines including PerContra, Forbes for Women, Entrepreneur and Yes! magazine. Find her on Twitter or Instagram @netreynolds.
