I grew up
in the San Francisco Bay area, where it rained all the time when I was a kid. I
remember having a yellow slicker, matching pink rain boots, and more umbrellas
than I can begin to count. I was always losing umbrellas, and to this day I
still hate umbrellas. I don't even think I own one anymore.
The rain
reminds me of being a kid. Taking my time walking home in the rain, and
arriving home soaking wet – jumping in every puddle on the way home (which, of
course, I denied to my mother). Even this afternoon, although I am certainly
not a kid anymore, I went to the schoolyard and re-lived my Puddle Jumping
days. Sure, I got a few strange looks – and I'm sure there were a few frustrated
mothers trying to explain to their children why NOT to do that – but I didn't
care. I jumped and jumped and splashed in those glorious puddles.
A
neighbor, Kristine Baird, saw me out in the rain – and generously offered me a
ride home. I'm sure she thinks I'm crazy, and her kids in the backseat too, but
being out in the rainstorm was exactly where I wanted to be – and I wasn’t
going to cheat myself out of even a minute of it. So I politely declined, and
watched her cute confused look as she drove away.
Then
there's the smell of the rain. That indescribable scent during a rainstorm –
there's nothing like it. And the feel of the rain on my skin, my eyelashes
fluttering as the drops are brushed away. And how soft my hair feels after
being drenched in rain water. After the rain everything smells clean and fresh.
The world feels clean and fresh. I feel clean and fresh.
It's a
great feeling. Like crawling into clean sheets at the end of a long day. Or
going to the temple to do baptisms. Or being crazy enough to go for a walk in
the rain without an umbrella.
After a
rough day at work, where all of your hard work gets picked apart. Or a few days
at home all alone without any human contact. Or a few months of beating
yourself up over being treated like crap by the one person that promised to
love you forever. Yes, there are times that a cleansing rain cleanses the soul
too. Standing out in the rain, letting each drop wash away the hurt and pain,
the sadness and frustration, the heartache and betrayal. And after the storms
of life, sometimes my soul needs a good burst of rain too. And hopefully
tomorrow, a rainbow.
But the
best part about walking in the rain, is that with raindrops streaming down your
face no one can see your tears.
The rain falls because the sky can
no longer handle its heavyness.
Just like
the tears fall because the heart can
no longer handle the pain.
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