Day 63 — Rain
When I was younger, rain was a disappointing thing. Rain meant staying inside, having to be a little quieter in my play, being confined to the basement or my room. Rain typically meant that I was likely to be wet and cold as it only seemed to rain during the fall and spring months. Snow came in the winter and rain rarely came in the summer. Rain, it seemed to me as a young man, was a total ruiner of the good life!
As I got older, I received an opportunity to live in Engalnd for two years. During that time, my perspective on rain modified somewhat. Granted, I was still wet and cold, particularly because it seemed to me that England was never terribly warm anyway and that almost every day had some rain in it. But at that point in my life, I learned to coexist with the rain. I bought the right kind of jacket, I wore the right kind of footwear, and I bought a really sturdy umbrella. I learned that there were many different kinds of rain, from a misty sprinkle to devastating downpour, and they could show up at any time. I learned that my attitude need not be determined by the weather, and rain was no longer the ruiner it had been.
Now, as a more seasoned soul, rain has become something I appreciate. I have moved past the days when rain was an unwelcome guest or a harbinger of disappointment to rain being a bringer of peace.
Rain now is a reminder of times when i learned to smile in spite of situations.
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Rain is now a reminder to slow down in many ways and appreciate other simple things, like being warm and dry.
Rain is a chance to listen to the rhythmic drumming that raindrops make on the roof and the deck and the ground, allowing stress and frenzy to melt away in its steady patter-patter.
Rain brings with it a moment to be grateful. After all, where I live in the high dessert of the American west, there is often little rain, but there is much demand for it.
Rain.
It’s pretty ordinary. But for me, it has become a time machine and an attitude adjuster and a soothing lullaby.
