This past May, I found myself very much looking forward to
going on vacation. It had been a dark and gloomy Winter, and Spring was
following the same path.
I had a bad case of cabin fever having been cooped up in the
house for months. For every day of sun shine, it seemed as if there was six
days of rain. The rain not only made me tired, it hampered any desires I had of
partaking in the outdoor activities that I typically enjoyed.
I was certain that a few days in Mexico would cure my
blahs.
So, imagine my dismay when lying at the beach on the very
first day of vacation, I felt a rain drop.
As it began to steadily rain, my family and I packed up our
belongings and begrudgingly headed back to our room. I was so irritated, hoping
the rain would pass quickly. We decided to wait it out on the balcony of our
room which overlooked the beach and the rest of the resort.
My mood had grown as
cloudy as the sky as I settled down into my chair, protected from the rain. But
as I looked down over the beach I noticed something very strange. There were
still people outside. People on the beach, people in the ocean and even people
in the pool. They were going about their activities as if it wasn’t even
raining. In fact, the rain was even coming down a little harder now, yet their fun never skipped a beat.
My initial reaction was that these people were crazy. But
then it got me wondering…
Were they all just used to the tropical climate and the
occasional rain that came with it? Or, did they know something I didn’t know?
I arrived at the conclusion that it was the latter.
These people were there to have fun and they were not going
to let a rain shower hinder that. What a great attitude to have. As I
contemplated their positive disposition, my mind began to refocus as well. I had
previously judged the gray clouds to be ugly and dismal. But, now I began to see
how beautiful my view was, even in the rain.
It made me question why I tend to put my life on hold just
because of a little shower. After all, it’s just water and so what if I get a
little wet. Rain may be a nuisance, but it’s certainly a necessity. Without
rain, there would be no replenishment…no growth. Rain also purifies the air we
breathe, washing away pollutants as it falls.
I am reminded of the Henry Wadsworth Longfellow quote “Into
each life some rain must fall”.
There will always be a little dreary weather in life, but we
can’t let it dampen our spirits. Sometimes the rain is exactly what we need…a
little annoyance that is not always a set-back, but rather a set-up for our own future
advancement and growth.
It rained one more time during my vacation in Mexico, but
that time I wasn't in such a hurry to seek shelter. . I stayed right where I was on the
beach.…not letting a little rain spoil my day.
