Heavenly Symphony

It just started raining.

At first I thought someone was tapping on my door. The sound was hushed yet bold.

I looked outside to see huge wet circles scattered on my patio. Raindrops were falling slowly but steadily. Each one landed with a singular muffled thud on the cement outside my front door.

I stood for a moment and watched the pattern of raindrops spread to my gate, each splatter enlarging as another drop raced to join the others.

Slowly the soft percussions blended into a gentle symphony before lifting into a crescendo finale which still beats on my roof.

It's as if God is crying elephant tears. I hope they are happy tears.

Elton John "Tears in Heaven"

Alligator Tears

I don't know if it's the heat from the cameras, the reduced caloric intake, the sore muscles that have been long underused, the reality that their 15 minutes of fame are at their most vulnerable moments, or maybe it's just male hormones, but the men on The Biggest Loser certainly do cry... a lot. We're talking alligator tears here, tears that match their first weigh in. Huge tears, and lots of them.

Some people are making fun of these guys, and I would be lying if I didn't admit a few eye rolls and "oh for pete's sake" comments (to myself) while I was watching my first episode ever, but you can't let those gigantic tears overshadow the amazing results these men are achieving.

So, the tears may be real, but more real is the determination and courage of these people who not only share their 15 minutes with the entire world, but they stand in front of cameras showing nearly every inch of their oversized bodies, including the large rolls of fat over their pants.

I have my own love handles, so I am not making fun and I hope to not be insensitive...love handles are cause for tears all by themselves.

Real men do cry, although as with everything on reality TV we don't really need to see quite so much or so many. And they drop the pounds too. Modern technology is amazing, there they are on TV, in front of all of us, exercising, sweating, (crying), swearing under their breath, in the sand, at the beach, on the court, and not a single electrical cord in sight.

But then again, with all the tears, it's probably better that they aren't in close range.

Sha Na Na "Tears on My Pillow"