Give me the rain

A different perspective

Rain through the eyes of a 6mo old is exciting - JME Film Photography 35mm

I’ve been feeling too grounded lately. Stability is nice but I am partial any kind of movement. Dance. Wind chimes. Rain. The reliability of perfection makes life feel monotonous and unfulfilling to me. I prefer the unpredictable flow of a leaf being carried down a bubbly stream. I welcome any experience life wants to give to me. Valuing all the good, bad and indifferent experiences because without that range, how can I discern what’s best for me? And that’s what’s interesting about rain. Some people reject it while others beg for it. I simply look to it being the best time to replenish my spirit, cleanse my mind, and wake up of senses.

The rain forces creativity. It makes me have to conjure up plans in a split second. I could see it as a block or it as an enabler of my sometimes flakiness with plans or I could lean into all the possibilities that it offers.

~

I woke up to the murmuring of my son. I made an attempt to switch places in the bed to cuddle with my husband before he left for work. However, Emery strategically crawled over my head to squeeze himself into a cozy valley between us. Now, his tiny forehead was pressed into my cheek as his baby’s breath huffed against my neck. His father wrapped his arms around us both and rested his freshly shaven face against the frizzy curls of our son. The rain served as a cloak over us all, allowing blissful solitude and a divine sense of security.

We live in a cottage in the countryside so we have well water. To be honest, I’ve never thought much about city versus well water before. I just always knew to never use too water in general. Every rainfall excites us as new homeowners because we are reassured our deep well is full. I don’t hesitate to take long hot showers or fill up the bathtub on rainy days. I like to pretend I’m actually being cleansed directly from the sky above as I sing my favorite shower songs.

I balance my weeks out with half stay at home days and half out and about.

I can’t bring myself to fully relax until everything is done. Neglected chores stand a chance at being completed on rainy days. The steady pace that’s set by the soothing sounds and lighting from weeping clouds gives me momentum. Momentum is hard to come by when you’re being interrupted by a hungry kid, another catchy video or that annoying sound from a Slack notification. It doesn’t feel like work to clean up on these days. A good way to preoccupy myself. Once it’s done, I can effortlessly settle into a some crockpot meal I started hours ago and simply ease into the evening.

When I’m out and it’s raining, I look forward to seeking refuge in my friend’s houses with our kids. I get to chat in person with another mother about life and our kids can share new skills together. It’s less chaotic and noisy than a playground. Well, unless they want to do a duet on the piano. I savor these moments because time isn’t felt and I don’t feel as lonely in my motherhood journey. We have transitioned from being just “mom friends” to friends that can be vulnerable and joyful with another outside of the diverse terrain of raising our kids. These rainy playdates grant us a chance to just breathe and be ourselves.

The day after a rain is the best day to go to the playground. The air is cooler and cleaner. The germs and pollen have been washed away. We adore having the whole place to ourselves with just our friends. There’s no awkwardness when you’re only there with folks you know. One of us brings a towel to wipe anything down. The other brings some gift. Snacks and giggles are exchanged. Truly a good morning spent with hours flying by. We wouldn’t enjoy this as much if it were sunny all week and we came every day. We can appreciate it better in juxtaposition to the rainy day indoors.

I’m so lucky I married someone who also loves a good rainy day. We’re firm believers in that we have full control over how we react to things. We don’t let things like weather dictate our mood (eh, if it’s 90F then we’re not thrilled but we manage). We go into every day assessing what do we need to have a good day. That could be giving clothing advice, avoiding certain intersections because Charlottesville drivers are scary or choosing earl grey over chai as the tea of the day. What a gift it is to have a life partner who can find the pros and cons equitably when it comes to nature ebbing and flowing.

I ask for nothing without asserting my acceptance of all blessings and all challenges that come with it. So give me the rain and the sun so I can enjoy the rainbow I prayed for. That is one of my keys to living a harmonious life. Welcoming the rain. For rain is so many things.

Rain is everything. An opportunity. An obstacle. A lens. A modality. A protector. An instigator. A comfort. A discomfort A source. A force. An art. An artist. A nurturer. A beginning. A pause. An end. A lover. An enemy. A clarifier. A passage. A blessing. A question. An answer. A sign. A glimmer. A gesture. An offering. A life.

When was the last time you let the rain be more than just rain?

~

There’s a song that makes me release the trapped tears when I’m trying to grow through what I’m going through that inspired this letter. Please enjoy and let me know what feelings the song or the rain evokes for you! Give Me The Rain by Palace