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On Saturday as I pulled into my driveway, I saw a glimmer of lightning behind the mountains. I dismissed the notion of rain because even when the clouds look bloated in the desert, a downpour is not guaranteed. The summer months are anointed as the monsoon season, but after living in the Southwest for five years, this seems more like a myth. There is a single type of weather that permeates most days in the desert: the sun is steady, unwavering and the rays peek through the blinds like an early morning wake-up call.

Read the rest of this essay on The First Day.

Image: “Storm at Desert Mountain” by Cedward Brice via Flickr.