Rain, Rain Don't Ever Go Away For Another Day

I love wet weather... And I also love pouring rain... They're generally nice, especially during the spring, and occasionally during the summers, when it drops the temperature to bearable levels. They're not as nice when they're drizzles during summer though, I'm sure everyone hates the extreme humidity that comes after. Those things I try to avoid by staying indoors and cranking up the air conditioner. But for the general concept of rain (the same ones that you associate to "rain" when you were a 5 year old) I think they're the greatest thing one can come across.

And yesterday, it was pouring. Its fun in a gloomy sort of way, when you look out of the office window and see overcast clouds and pouring rain; I especially like looking at the windows because you feel like you have a personal display of waterfall beside you. Close enough to appreciate it, but not close enough so that you get wet. It's soothing and relaxing at the same time, especially when it creates that thump thump sound everytime the rain drops hit the windows; There's a fine quality, nature-induced rhythm to it that can lull you to a well rested sleep.

I know there are a lot of people who hate the rain though. It gets us wet when we're on our best Sunday clothes, and its also a bad experience when you've been getting ready for a hot big date with the girl of you dreams, and later get splashed on by a passing truck (Think Bridget Jones 2). In fact, drenched pants isn't really the best way to win a girl's heart, unless you were, in fact, braving the horrendous rain just to impress her with your determination (which could later in fact be taken as a sorry, cheesy way of impressing her, depending on how she sees it).

I actually had my share once of getting horribly drenched. If I remember correctly, I was along the roads outside my university. Maybe waiting for a ride, or waiting for the red lights to go green so I can walk across. Either way, the whole thing is basically me waiting on something, holding the umbrella up, and unsuspecting anything bad was about to happen. Rain was pouring, and water levels rising, and puddles were starting to become raging floods along the sidewalks. In less than a second, a speeding car passes by and releases this HuuuuuuuUUuuuge man made tidal wave about 5 feet tall. Needless to say, I was drenched in road-mixed water. Bad enough I was wet, but I couldn't bring myself to think whatever stuff's found on the road that got mixed in all that liquid. All I could say is, "Think happy thoughts, think happy thoughts!" for the rest of the day until I came back home for a bath.

Of course, not all experiences with rain are bad. Like I said, rain makes the weather cool and bearable. If you can actually find a sweet spot of a shelter to cover you from the rain while still a safe distance from getting drenched, but still near enough to feel light droplets float down on your feet and hands, that's the best setup. Most of the time, you'll feel alive while enjoying that, just because rain has this eager, active and infectious quality to it - Its always on the move, it never stops, and it will always keep you on your toes. The best ones have a slight gale to them, keeping the droplets airborne and reminding you that it will persist and keep up with you wherever you go.

Remember when you were young and your parents insisted that you wear a raincoat, boots and an umbrella when its raining? Or sometimes, they don't even let you out of the house because they're worried sick you might catch a cold. But the thing that's on your little mind at that point is that you really, really, REALLY want to go out; You want to step outside, get wet, enjoy the rain and play with the puddle, just jumping around and laughing and giggling while the winds just keep on whistling to you. You don't think how dirty the water would be. You don't worry about catching a cold. You just dash out into the pouring rain. Its really infectious. Its fun, and it perks you up. It just can't help itself and calls out to the child in you, bringing you back to the time when all you wanted to do is step out into the rain and jump around splashing just about everywhere.

And when they say the dreary weather just makes you want to cry and dampens the spirit? I'd like to think otherwise. Remember all those times you've watched a movie and they always use rain to show how down the character is? Even if its just a tool to express depression, it doesn't really mean you're depressed and alone. When you're down and its raining cats and dogs, you get the feeling that the world weeps alongside with you, too, and when you think about it, its actually a comfort to have it when you're depressed. In a sense, you can't help but feel that its trying to console you. Bad enough that you're depressed and alone, but with a rain alongside, you get the comforting feeling that "Hey! The world actually agrees with my situation". You don't actually feel so alone as you thought you were. I personally think the situation would be worse when compared to feeling depressed on a sunny day, cause it seems like the world is getting along fine whether you're depressed or not.

You really just can't help but feel alive and feel that rush when you're happy and its there, and consoled when you're down and depressed.

I remember this one time during lunch a working day. Some friends of mine decided to have lunch a few blocks from our office building. The weather was fine when we left for lunch, but just right after eating lunch and on the way back, it just started pouring out of nowhere. Its either we decide to sit it out, or end up coming back late. Neither one of us had an umbrella to go around with, and but we still decided to try and run across... and we did, running like crazy with no cover at all, and end up getting really drenched and wet to the bone. I had to change my clothes when I came back, and a lot of people thought we were just crazy, being soaked as if we just jumped into the swimming pool with our clothes on.

But then, maybe we were. We spent the rest of the day just giggling and laughing at the mess we made of ourselves. But in the end, all of us had a good time. Wouldn't you have liked it if the rain made you laugh a little, and sometimes, cry a little?

I would. Besides, isn't that what life is all about? :)