The first rain they really watched

The rain came down hard this afternoon. Abi's reflex was to shut the window and get back to work. But Baby Mo and Baby Ais were already pressed to the glass, amazed. So I sat down between them.

I pointed at the droplets and said: "That's a gift from Allah, my loves. The water makes the trees grow, lets us drink." Then we said the rain du'a slowly. They didn't understand the words, but they understood rain is something to be grateful for, not annoyed by.

Children learn wonder from us. If we greet rain with "ugh, rain," they learn to complain. If we greet it with "masha'Allah, look," they learn to see Allah's signs in ordinary things.

O Allah, make it a beneficial rain.

For ten minutes we just watched the rain. Not productive at all. But maybe the best ten minutes of the day.