Rainy days

We sure have had a lot of rain in the past few days -- so much that the governor declared an emergency and Shockoe Bottom merchants were watching warily. For now, though, it looks like the downpour stopped in time to avoid major flooding downtown.

Still, there were tragedies and close calls. Among the saddest news was the death of 8-year-old Nikki Godbold of Allegheny County. She was swept away when she fell into Dunlap Creek, and her body was found yesterday. It's terrible when you read about something like this, imagining what it feels like for the family and friends.

Everyone knows that rain is part of nature's cycle, and certainly more than a few of us may have chuckled at the thought of the federal government coming to a standstill because of this week's rain. But it doesn't always take a tsunami or a hurricane to create tragedy in people's lives. God bless the Godbold family.