Saturday, September 29, 2012

Running through the rain

It's a rainy day here in Raleigh, and as I was running through the gray drizzle this morning I thought about how much Lizbeth loves a good rainy day.  She's always so funny about the weather and temperature.  When she had the office next to my classroom, I'd come in and complain that I was freezing cold, and she'd be sitting there in short sleeves saying how fabulous it felt.  Then I'd see her in the afternoon walking around outside with Ellen (on one of their many after-school walk/talk sessions) in her tank top and shorts, enjoying the hot sunshine.  I would go to her house to visit and seriously consider bringing my winter coat (brrr!), and she would be cool and comfortable and ready to chat for hours.  After a few minutes of sharing stories with her, I'd always forget that I was chilly anyway.  

I know that on rainy days like this, it's so easy to complain that your outdoor plans were ruined, or you have to remember an umbrella to go anywhere, or (like me!) your frizzy hair is just hopeless for the next 24 hours. What many of us forget to do is reflect on how much the rain allows us to appreciate the sunny days.  We miss the opportunity to allow ourselves a quiet day inside to read a book or get some cleaning done without feeling guilty about not being out "in the gorgeous weather."  We immediately think about all the things that we CAN'T do on a rainy day, and forget to look back on what we did to appreciate the last sunny day, or what we will do to take advantage of the next one.

I don't know what the weather is like where you are today, but take a minute to reflect on all of the sunny days in your life, appreciate the day that you are living, and look forward to the gorgeous ones ahead.  

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