WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU STAYED OUT IN THE RAIN ON PURPOSE? HOW DID IT FEEL?

Some people feel the rain. Others just get wet. Bob Marley

Our happiness in life can be directly linked to our perception of life--our attitudes, our awareness, our involvement. Rain is a great example of this in action. I have seen many individuals who would do everything in their power to not get wet in the rain. When the rain begins, they rush inside; on a cloudy day, they carry an umbrella. To them, the rain is something that gets them wet--something that perhaps inconveniences them, or something that they do not have the time or concern to truly feel. We can come up with a lot of reasons to avoid the rain--I will get dirty, it is too cold, I do not want to have to change my clothes, it is going to mess up my hair, it will ruin my shoes. But feeling the rain is something that we can only experience by staying outside during the rainstorm. And it is something wonderful--standing out in the rain, feeling the wetness fall from above and soak us down to the skin, listening to the sounds of the rain hitting the pavement and the trees and the houses. The uniqueness of feeling the rain is very special--after all, it is not a feeling that we get to experience often.

A couple years back, after attending a musical with my friend, we exited the theatre only to find ourselves faced with an extremely heavy downpour. The car was about 10 blocks away, and we were not in the mood to get soaked--but being the spontaneous and impulsive type, I talked her into going and not trying to wait it out, as it would probably be hours until it ended. At first, she was apprehensive, so I walked out into the rain and began spinning in circles with my arms and head upwards. Within seconds, I was soaked with rain as those around stood and watched from the dryness of the overhang. My friend was looking at me as if waiting for some reaction, so I held out my hand, and told her that it is not bad once you are wet. She stepped out and took my hand, and together we walked the 10 blocks back to the car. Being soaked also brought back fond memories of my high school football games and practices--the muddy and rainy ones that I will always remember. Snug and dry is nice... but knowing the other side every now and then is nice and also very important for us. This world was given to us with a wealth of experiences that we can learn from, and it is very hard to do so if we refuse to experience what is here for us. The lesson I hope to convey, is we should always be willing to explore the unknown in life and enjoy the little things while we still can. Remember, once you get wet, it does not matter anymore. Today's Challenge:

Be open to the experiences of life; and if it rains today, allow yourself to feel the rain. To consider:

When was the last time you stayed out in the rain on purpose? How did it feel? Why do we value staying dry and warm as much as we do? What kinds of things might we learn from getting wet and feeling the rain?

For further thought:

I am sure it is a great mistake always to know enough to go in when it rains. One may keep snug and dry by such knowledge, but one misses a world of loveliness.