Water water everywhere – so much rain already and so much more to come. The Bureau of Meteorology has forecast that our current overwhelming world of water might ease up in late autumn - or persist even longer, into winter. My heart goes out to those people suffering from floodwaters up and down the east coast of Australia.
The BOM's official language is euphemistic: 'La Niña remains active, but gradually easing'.
My take on the 'rain, rain, go away' mindset is that after annoyance, then anger, then resignation must come inspiration. To feel the rain, to recognise it as the earth steeped in tears, weeping for some respite from human exploitation, crying out for restoration – as it offers up torrents of water to rejuvenate our natural world.
Here’s an excerpt from a story I wrote last week to try to capture the visceral essence of a watery knowledge that overtook my body and mind:
'I lay on my bed watching a downpour so heavy it looked like a ‘sheet’ of rain, a shroud, behind a faint spray wafting towards me across my balcony. In an instant, I couldn’t tell the difference between the water flowing within my body and that rain pouring down, adding even more to the already drenched atmosphere. We’re the same; I felt it. All plants and animals recycling water, all part of this planet revolving in space. Water in the air and in my body – aerial and corporeal currents as one, either side of the filter of my porous skin.'
If you'd like to donate to the NSW Flood Appeal you can contact: https://donate.vinnies.org.au/nsw/appeal
Dan Brauman's Lismore home has been flooded twice in the space of four weeks.
Copyright: text C V Williams; photos C V Williams & ABC News North Coast, Hannah Ross.
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