I’ve always been one of those people who love the rain.  It started in high school when I was a high jumper and everyone just HATED the rain.  As a high jumper, if it’s raining, you are not only going to get wet but rather SOAKED because each time you hit the mat after a jump, the water sprays up on landing and then you sink into whatever is left.  Not ideal but kinda cool, right?  And then when I figured out how much other jumpers despised the rain, it made me giddy.  Their bad attitude fed my fire and I always excelled in the rain.  Good times, photo below from my freshman year, spring of 1989. 

Not much has changed since then other than the 13 lbs I gained and the fact that I couldn’t jump that high if someone paid me, I still giggle inappropriately when people are pissed off, and I still love the rain.  

Today, however, I look at the rain a little differently.  It’s calming.  Cool.  Refreshing.  Restorative.  I see the rain for what it is for the environment, washing away all the dust, dirt, grime and helping nature clean up our mess.  It’s the nourishment for the trees and flowers that are in full bloom.  We need the rain.

On the weekends, a rainy day is a good excuse to stay inside, sleep in and restore the body and the soul.  It gives us a break to spend time with the family catching up, hanging out and just being together.  It slows the world down, if only for a bit, as everyone takes time to refresh and restore themselves, just as Mother Nature intended for the outside world.

Rain is a good thing.  If you haven’t taken a minute to go out and run in the rain, try it.  Everything is different.  Quiet.  Glistening.  Refreshed.  Restored. 

Take a hint from Mother Nature, follow her lead.  Just as our outside world needs to take a break from the chaos, so does our body and soul.  Don’t be afraid to just chill on a rainy day and soak up your surrounds.  Allow yourself to feel the calm.  Allow yourself to refresh.  Allow yourself to restore and replenish.  Allow yourself to repair.  We need the rain.

** Learn to Love the Rain ** Amanda – TooTallFritz **