This weekend we hit Kilen Woods State Park. It’s a small little park south of Windom that was recommended to us by a friend. It’s surrounded by farm fields and the Des Moines river, existing in a strange place that is neither deep woods, nor open prairie.

On Saturday morning I work up and checked the weather to discover that the storm predicted for later in the day was going to be arriving early. In fact I only had a half an hour or so to move about before it was time to dodge raindrops. Thankfully, we come prepared with a canopy that we set up as soon as we make camp. I was able to grab the cooking gear and make my oatmeal without more than a couple drips of rain on me.

Our camper keeps us dry for sleeping and one of the most relaxing things is lying in the bed listening to the sound of raindrops hitting the roof. Being made of fiberglass and plywood, the sound is unique. It’s not the dull thud of a typical roof, or the ‘pwang’ of a metal overhang. It’s sharp and quick, as if the rain has somewhere else to be and only has time for a brief “Hello.”

Having the morning rained out isn’t a disappointment. It forces us to simply ‘be’ and decompress. We’re pushed into a moment of pause and reflection. The sharp pebble-y sound on the roof, the cool breeze pouring through the small openings in the windows. It’s peace. It’s the point of being here. It’s why we do this.