Rain in September...

It comes as a surprise to me here in Southern California.  Yesterday while sitting at my desk (which looks outside) I heard it first, then saw large, rapidly moving rain drops descending.  The sun was shining and it was pouring rain for about three minutes.  Then it stopped.  Weird.

Over night it rained for real and it is still drizzling now.  I love the sound of rain pattering on my roof and windows even though there is an element of it that arises a panicky feeling within me.

I am ok with rain as long as I don’t have to go out in it.  Of course, unless I want to.  There is something quite romantic about walking in the rain, solo or with another.  I just don’t want to have to live my every day life with it as a hazard.  To be fair, I feel the same way about any other kind of weather:  wind, snow, hail, sleet.  It is fine so long as I am inside and don’t have to go out in it.  I can choose to go out in it, and that is ok.  I just don’t want to have no say in the matter.

I know I have said this before, many times, but I think the world needs rain days.  If it is raining, you just get to stay home and rest.  Lie on your couch and nap and dream and read and sleep.  Wouldn’t the world be a better place if this were an acceptable excuse for calling in to work?  “So sorry, it is raining, I won’t be working today, hope you enjoy your soggy mental health day also!”

Of course, there are parts of the world where this would not work due to the amount of time it rains there.  Or maybe, that is an evil genius, the rule still applies and you get way more mental health days than you actually need!  What a concept!

Being a consummate neat freak. rain brings the outside into my house and I am not a huge fan of that...

My dog and I even have a system.  She has been trained, when raining, to sit as soon as she gets inside so I can wipe her feet and then towel her dry.  She loves it.  I swear she smiles when I do this.  Such a moment of comfort and joy between us all because it rained.

I live in a place that rain is often perilous.  We are mostly dry and arid, so when intense rain comes, there is just not enough ground absorption for the runoff to not cause major issues.  So rain is something we need, but we need it to come slowly and over time.  Like today, the light pitter patter of drops falling satisfies the thirst of all.  We are more than happy to forego the deluge.

The rain today reminds me to be present, to enjoy the moment and be peaceful in my life.  It is a weird time of year to get rain multiple days in a row.  This helps me to remember no matter how predicable I want life to be, it is never going to be.  There will sometimes be rain in September and that is also just as it is supposed to be.

I am grateful to be indoors, safe and dry.  I am grateful my pets are similarly situated.  I am grateful my dog will go outside in the rain and we get a tender moment together when she returns.  I am grateful I can remain indoors all day and just enjoy the rain from my porch.

May this September rain be a harbinger for things to come...lovely light rains, well spaced in time, to quench the thirst of a parched and dry land.  May I always seek to find the silver lining in all that happens in my life...even on rainy Thursdays.

Again, still...