WATER ON THE PATH
by contemplativeinquiry
Walking on a familiar path, I found a trail of puddles in front of me. It felt exotic and refreshing. For this had been a parched and dry place for a many months. I dimly recall a past life of finding puddles a minor nuisance – almost an obstacle. Not today. They brought joy and fascination.
I found myself contemplating these small accumulations of fallen rain: noticing their shapes and patterns, seeing how the water creates mud so easily from dried soil, watching the slight movement fallen leaves in these tiny ponds. The circumstance of the long dry period and its ending made rainwater and its effects interesting and worthy of attention in ways that seemed new and almost strange. I opened myself up and became present to them, before moving on.
On my way home I was caught by a brief deluge. I made a brief video of rain on a puddle. I got wet too, yet it somehow completed my walk.
Contemplative Inquiry 
I was reading about ‘petrichor’ recently which I always thought of as the literal smell of rain – but apparently it is the smell of microbes releasing their odours from the soil – where I live it is really perfumed which I wonder if it is the high peat content?
Wonderful word, petrichor. My AI tells me that our sensitivity to these earthy, microbial scents gives us an evolutionary advantage, helping our ancestors to locate fresh water, fertile land and food sources. – also guiding them to seek shelter before storms. I can see how peat could help to create a strong scent.