Brad and I went to a free concert last night. It’s been a long time since we’ve gone to something so loud with front row seats. We were surrounded by the rumble and brilliance of the thunder and lightning. I just went in my work clothes, dirty from a day in the field, and Brad went in his shorts and shirt. We found our seats in front of the pear tree.

It was actually an interactive concert, and the base was impressive—louder than the cannons in Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture. There was nothing predictable about the music that kept us on the edge of our seats. And the pyrotechnics! Rarely have I seen such a brilliant show. Brad I found ourselves soaking wet, but we stayed anyways. I guess we just enjoyed this momentary escape; the same reason we go to movies or read a good book. This Texas thunderstorm that was bringing the land much needed water was the best concert I had seen in quite awhile.

Eventually we decided we had had enough. We had already spent 10 minutes in the rain, and gone from unbearable heat 4 hours ago to shivering cold. A few more encore flashes of lightning, followed by thunder, and then there was a constant rain bringing the cold temperatures from high above and dropping them on us in liquid form. Brad retold me his story from a month ago, when out in the elephant ear patch his hair rose suddenly followed by a unanimous flash of light and roar of thunder that brought him to his knees. After the story, Brad left his front row seat in the middle of the field and went to shower. I stayed out until he was finished and then headed in, thankful that the best things in life really are free.