Random and Confused Ramblings

Dark Clouds and Rain That Restores

Early in the morning, I sat and watched the dark clouds pass by. I hoped they would move on quickly and give way to a clear, sunny day with low temperatures and gentle humidity. But that was not to be. The clouds did not pass over—they lingered. And then the rain began to fall.

It was then that I realized: dark clouds are not accidental. They have a purpose. They fulfill their role - to refresh the earth with water and allow life to flourish—before they move on.

And the confused poet in me awoke:

“I saw the dark clouds,

Moving on slowly;

I hoped they would pass,

As fast as they could.

But I did not know,

The clouds were there for a reason;

A purpose to fulfill,

To complete their work.

To quench the thirst,

The longing of a parched earth;

With rain that renews and refreshes,

A dry and yearning land.

Lord, let the clouds remain,

Until they fulfill and complete

Their purpose—

To renew my parched, dry soul.”

Heat That Kills… or Clarifies

Later, a friend wrote, “Delhi has been extremely hot and humid. I wonder if the desert and extreme heat have a purpose like the clouds?”

It reminded me of a MasterChef episode we watched last night—about clarifying butter. Heat is used to remove milk solids, making butter better for high-heat cooking. Clarified butter doesn’t burn easily; it becomes more refined and useful through the process.

So, heat has a purpose too. It can refine. It can transform. But still… it kills tender plants. Some seedlings wither in the scorching sun. I wonder—had they already fulfilled their purpose?

Maybe life asks us to live through both clouds and heat while holding on to images of hope: “A cloud, as small as a man’s hand, rising out of the sea,” or “A shoot springing up from a stump, a branch from the roots.”

The Weeds That Disturb Me

Yet another strange truth: good plants die in the heat, but weeds seem to thrive. Even in the rain, they flourish—vigorous, green, uninvited. All around I can see more weeds than good plants! 

Why? Do weeds have a purpose? Are they more resilient?

ChatGPT told me: “Weeds might seem like uninvited guests in a garden, but they serve important roles in nature. They prevent soil erosion, improve soil health, provide food and shelter for wildlife, and act as indicators of environmental conditions. Some, like clover and dandelions, fix nitrogen in the soil. Others, like nettles, have nutritional and medicinal value. Perhaps weeds are nature’s way of reminding us that life persists—even in the cracks.”

But weeds also symbolize something darker—corruption, evil, distractions that choke growth. I’d love to uproot them. But then I remembered the story I recently read:

The Farmer and the Weeds

“A wise farmer named Elias sowed good wheat seeds across his field, expecting a rich and fruitful harvest. But one night, while he and his household slept, an enemy came quietly and scattered weeds—nasty, lookalike plants—among the young wheat.

 

As the crops began to grow, the farmer’s servants noticed the weeds sprouting among the wheat. Disturbed, they rushed to Elias and asked, “Didn’t you plant good seed? Where did the weeds come from? Should we pull them out?”

 

Elias shook his head. “An enemy has done this,” he said calmly. “But no, don’t pull them up. If you do, you might also uproot the wheat. Let both grow together until harvest.”

 

And so, the wheat and weeds grew side by side. Some couldn’t tell them apart, but Elias waited patiently, trusting the harvest would reveal the truth.

 

When the time came, the harvesters carefully gathered the weeds first and burned them. Then they gathered the ripe wheat and stored it safely in the barn.

 

The field was cleared, and Elias stood watching the golden grain, knowing his patience had preserved what was good.”

  

Waiting Through It All

Maybe that’s what I must do too.

Endure the clouds, enjoy rain, suffer the heat and the weeds. Trust the process. Wait for the rain. Wait for the shoot. Wait for the harvest. The day will come when what is good will be gathered, and what is harmful will be cleared away.

Until then, let me live through the seasons—with hope.