Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
I believe there was a cosmic symbolism between the Cannon Air Force Base air show and all the pouring rain two weeks ago. Here’s what I mean.
Many of us were awakened early that Saturday morning to the crackle of lightning, the roar of thunder, and rain drops pelting our roof tops.
I was happy. Rain lowers my water bill and colors the normally brown landscape green.
But I was also worried. This was the big weekend of the Cannon air show. Hundreds of airmen had spent thousands of hours preparing for the event. Would the show go on?
Thankfully by late Saturday morning the rain subsided, and the clouds parted to provide a picturesque view of the day’s events for all the attendees.
I watched eager spectators unfold lawn chairs or sit in bleachers along the flight line for an up-close view of the Thunderbirds, or to witness what the men and women at Cannon do on a daily basis during the capabilities exercise.
They weren’t disappointed.
Sunday was supposed to be the best day of the weekend for weather, and more spectators crowded the flight line for round two. But the sunny morning turned dark. Gray clouds rolled in, rain fell from the sky, and everyone retreated from the flight line.
Both airmen and civilian alike stood in the safety of airplane hangars or underneath the wing tips of an airplane to escape the elements.
And yet again, the rain ceased and the clouds parted near noon. The show went on.
So what’s the cosmic symbolism between the two, you ask?
In the same way that the rain was able to turn patches of brown grass into light green, and grow healthy blades of grass even taller, the air show was able to grow the relationship between Cannon Air Force Base and the surrounding area of Clovis and Portales.
They both served the same function for the community by reinforcing existing ties and creating new ones.
I can only hope this cosmic symbolism is but a future sign of things to come.
Kitsana Dounglomchan, an 11-year Air Force veteran, writes about his life and times for Clovis Media Inc. Contact him at:
