Rain at the window

Rain softens the edges of a view. Roofs and branches become darker, distant buildings lose their sharp lines, and the window gathers its own pattern of drops.

Inside, ordinary sounds become easier to hear: a page turning, water beginning to boil, the small tap of a cup set down. Weather can give a room a different rhythm without changing anything in it.

An afternoon like this asks for very little. A book, something warm to drink, and enough time to watch the next drop find its way down the glass.