If I Waited for it to Stop Raining, I Would Never Leave the House
Rain, rain, go away. Come again another day.
17th century nursery rhyme, author unknown
I hate the rain. This I know for a fact, as a British Columbia native I spent most of my school and working life in one of the rainiest cities in Canada. I recall one spring where it rained steadily for more than a week. I swear the cars were literally floating in the parking lot. The seemingly never-ending cold, wet, gray days, as I remember, were enough to dampen one’s sense of adventure and foster an alarming love for a reclusive life.
Despite the obvious appeal of food, warmth, and shelter, avoiding the rain was not a practical idea. If I waited for it to stop raining, I would never leave the house. I would also aside from missing school, work, family and friends, have deprived myself of many new and wonderful experiences that week. If I had not ventured outside, I would not have: stumbled upon a new patisserie and discovered the bliss that is madeleines, engaged in a flirtatious chat with a perfect stranger, delighted in Federico Fellini’s classic La Dolce Vita at the local cinema, or simply lived my life.
As I learned life, much like the weather, is unpredictable in what it brings you. Rainy or sunny days, waiting to get your ducks perfectly in row can be a real hindrance to the adventure of living. Weather conditions will never be perfect. Life is not perfect. It can be downright wet, messy and cold. It is on the rainy days that we find our true spirit in facing the elements and more often than not, discover new life-changing experiences beckoning.
Are you waiting for the rain to stop?
