thoughts on rain

I was out for a quick run today when it began to rain down. I started to walk because a) I didn't want to get home before it started to pour, and b) the muscle I pulled the other day during a run (I know, I know, I'm like a delicate little china doll. ugh) was aggravated by the downward slope.

Anyway, I started thinking about rain. It started to come down and I lifted my hands up to absorb as much as I could, and because it feels like the right thing to do when you're happy about rain.

I remember after curling my hair a long time ago thinking, 'What if the rain messes up my hair?' I am thankful that I answered that question later (months... perhaps a year?) with, 'So...what?'

I remember the first year Fred and I were together I was visiting where he lived in Aurora and it began to pour. I was so excited about it, but didn't quite know what to do with all this fun going on outside since I wasn't in my element, but we decided to take a dash outside down the sidewalks! We ran for perhaps two blocks but it was a fantastic decision. We were soaked through, and so happy to be.

I remember being very, very young and being outside with my brother, Carter. A threatening storm blew in, and before we knew it, sheets of rain (the first time I ever understood that expression) were falling to the ground so hard I could barely see my hand in front of my face ("which wouldn't be very interesting anyway"). The surge of excitement was almost unbearable. I didn't want to go inside a second sooner than I had to (and I think we had to make sure the animals were ok).

I remember even further back while still living in Illinois, standing in front of our front door watching the most violent rain fall to the ground with the most bright flashes of lightening and threatening thunder following shortly after. We giggled and ran around and hid, and inevitably wound up right back at the front door with our noses pressed to the glass, watching in awe.

Rain: it's so wonderful. It's fearsome and bold, or playful and light. It's danger, it's safety. I absolutely love rain.

Most recently (aside from my walk today) Fred and I decided to run the boat out to the dam to fish for trout, though it appeared a storm was rolling in. As we flew across the water, we wondered at the wisdom of traveling in an aluminum boat while lightning flashed (though still far away), and decided upon docking that no matter what happened, we wouldn't get back in the boat until there was no more lightning. The rains came and the thunder roared, but we stayed put with our lines in the water but not a bite to be had. We were soaked through and grinning from ear to ear. Even though we caught no fish, the fun had already been had.

I understand about the joys and fears of rain when there are dire circumstances- joy for the end of a drought or the sprouts of a new garden, fears for the flooding of homes and destroying of lives.

I don't understand when people keep away from rain, unless things will get damaged or people will get sick/hurt. I don't understand even more why people run from rain when they are swimming, of all things. You're already wet. As long as lightning isn't present it is a pleasant addition to the day. When you consider rain in a non-threatening scene - walking downtown, sitting on the porch, laying in bed listening to it fall on the roof (or in our case, sky light), it seems the most pleasant interruption a sky could have.

I remember one evening Fred and I were watching an I Love Lucy episode when it began to rain hard. Our skylight was echoing each drip quite loudly. We turned the volume up almost as loud as it could go and still had trouble hearing! I think we eventually cut it off and just listened to the noise, but I don't really recall.

I remember playing volleyball when it began to pour. We tried playing until the ball got so heavy from water that it hurt like crazy if you did hit it, and when you did it would go as far as you could step. We all went back to Fred's and my home, dried off as best we could, and had waffles and hot cocoa/coffee. It was a great way to end the day.

There's a lot of rain stories out there, and I'm hoping to make quite a few more.