So the other night I heard this large boom and thought oh Sh*t we just got rocketed! Alas it was not a rocket but something even more special and wondrous in this country. We were in the middle of a rain and then lightning storm. After the rain fell we all went outside and watched the light show and I was just amazed at the overwhelming and joyous assault on my senses. Between the wonderful smell of the rain to the flash and bang and rumble of the lightning it was like sitting in the middle of an Orchestra playing a song just for me.
After a few minutes we had to go back in and continue on our own missions that we perform at the hospital but for a few short moments we had this huge group of soldiers and airmen standing out in the rain not caring that we were getting wet, not caring who the person next to you was a male or female, black, white, yellow, brown and even not caring if you were Air Force or Army. We were just all bunched together watching the rain fall and smelling the rain and feeling the crack boom of the lightning. It was one amazing night and incidentally the first rain to this valley in over 1 month.
Lightning strike in Afghanistan.
Back home I usually sit and listen and watch the late night rain from my porch swing so this brought out mixed feelings for me I thought back to one of my last night’s home when my wife and I sat on the porch listening and seeing and smelling the rain. I had yet to be overly homesick but by god I was this night. You would be amazed at how some little thing like the smell of rain can make you feel like you miss home more than anything in the world.
