Day 103: Rain

Every spring I hear this person or that person or many persons complain each time it rains. I hear them denounce the rain. State what a nuisance it is. Declare that it is welcome or needed. Even during years when it doesn’t rain all that much and it’s beyond obvious that more rain than less is exactly what’s needed, such as this season where I live, people still complain. Well, speak for yourself, because I don’t feel that way.

Give me a good rainy spring day or night any time. For auditory reasons alone, I’m more than happy when a steady rain falls from the heavens. The pit and pats. The smacks and whacks. The drip, drip, drips. They make my blood flow. They lift my spirit.

Really, there’s very little I can think of that’s as seductive to me as the splattering of a rain falling from the sky, especially one that’s backlit by a soft yellow glow floating outward from a procession of streets lights lined up and down an avenue. It’s a magical and mysterious atmosphere that’s created. It’s an atmosphere that conjures thoughts, good and bad. That births possibilities.

A rain cleanses. It purifies. It drives away the dust and dirt. It creates its own presence.

Some of the best moments of my life have occurred during a rainstorm. Some of my best memories featured rain as a backdrop. Some of the most enlightening minutes I’ve spent on earth where experienced standing under the open sky as the water drenched me.

Your life been feeling stale and without purpose? Been feeling lethargic and undetermined? Lacking motivation and a sense of being? Stand in the rain for even a few minutes. Let it send some shivers down your spine. Let it raise goose bumps. Let a rain pour down over you. Let it soak your clothes. Let it sting your bare arms. Stomp in a puddle. Smell the freshness of the grass. Listen and watch the trees accept the gift. You’ll feel refreshed and renewed. You’ll feel alive. You’ll know there’s a greater power at work than yourself. Better yet, let your dog run in the rain. Let your small child or grandchild dance in the wetness. Watch the excitement and wonder that comes across their faces. Then you’ll know the rain’s magic.

I don’t mind at all if the rain drives me indoors. It’s a message I need to get something done. It’s a sign I need to take notice of something that’s not outdoors. It’s an opportunity to just walk to a window and stare outward. An escape from looking inward. It’s a chance to just witness.

Better yet, get yourself a lawn chair, unfold it in your garage, sit down, and pretend you’re watching a really good movie or a play unfolding in front of you. Don’t force the action; just let it come to you. Watch the birds soak it in. Watch the grass pop and bend. Revel in the tinks and tats of the raindrops spitting off the gutter. Stick your bare foot under the gutter and let the rain’s residue chill you. Let it move you. Let it dictate how you feel. I don’t think you’ll be sorry.