When was the last time you just stood in the rain and let it wash over you? For me, it was this past Sunday while I was in the garden. I started to run inside but decided against it. Of course, since I was on the far side of the garden, I was already pretty wet by the time I made it to the patio but it was so fun and freeing. I felt a little child-like and it got me to thinking - some of my strongest memories from my childhood and life involve rain.
I don’t remember the year, but when we lived in the house on Pyrite Circle, we had a poodle that would go nuts during a storm. One night there was a bad storm and a tornado bounced when it hit the tree line behind our house. It did a lot of damage in the surrounding area but it just missed us and our house was fine. Apparently, I slept through it.
Another time, we were driving to church and it was pouring. We had to drive under the interstate and the water was pooling pretty deep. My dad managed to maneuver our car through it without a problem.
When I was in 4th grade, I was waiting in the car rider line for my mom to pick me up at school and it was pouring. The awning we stood under wasn’t very water tight and we had to be careful to stand where we wouldn’t get wet. A friend and I tried to stand where we would get wet. I loved the rain but you better believe I got in trouble for it. I probably couldn’t sit for a few days.
As I grew older and we got a pool, swimming in the rain became a favorite activity. Of course, I had to make sure there was no lighting but there’s nothing quite like floating with your ears just below the surface and listening to the rain on the surface.
Speaking of the pool and lightning, one day when I was in college, a friend was at the house to swim and a storm came up - lots of thunder and lightning. We ran inside and watched as hail rained down, collecting in piles in the nooks and crannies of my mom's back yard. It was both frightening and exciting, but over as quickly as it started.
Then there are those times at the lake when the rain moves in and you just listen to it. There’s nothing quite like listening to rain on the tin roof of a dock at the lake, especially if you're sitting in a pontoon boat that's just rocking slightly. Another option is sitting on a screened porch while you overlook the lake. It’s so peaceful and calming. Rain at the lake is at the top of the list of things I miss most.
So the next time you get caught in the rain, resist the urge to run inside. Just embrace the rain and enjoy! Remember what it was like to be young and carefree.
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