#Rain

I once heard a comedian talking about swimming. When you're a kid, it's the greatest thing ever. You live to swim. Your parents take you on vacation...you endure historic sites because you're ecstatic by the thought of a swimming pool. It's simply the greatest thing ever. Then you turn into an adult. Someone suggests swimming and you respond, "What? Swimming! Are you crazy? I might get wet!"

This sentiment overtakes me when it's rainy season. As we experienced a deluge of showers lately, I found myself sitting in my car longer than normal, strategizing a way into buildings as if the rainfall would harm me like a barrage of gunfire. Since the rain didn't let up for almost a week, I decided to change my sour, soggy tune and make a list of why rain is great.

1. It allows me to catch up on some badly-needed television. (Netflix Flash: Cheers now trending.)
2. It's conducive to naps.
3. It keeps my house smelling all nice with Scentsy in my attempt to override the malodorous wet dog.
4. It gives my son a job by spurring lawn growth.
5. It makes it easier to pull weeds, theoretically. Theoretically, weeds would be easier to pull. I'll try this sometime.
6. It makes me think about baking. Did I mention Cheers is on Netflix?

Obviously, I know rain is good. We learned of its goodness in kindergarten with that ever famous proverb: April showers bring May flowers. Deep down, I believe the catchy phrase was created as a way to tolerate with the inconvenience we feel when it begins to sprinkle. Who isn't prone to become out of sorts if the weather isn't exactly to our liking? And has the potential to derail a perfectly coiffed hairdo?

Farmers, like my hubby, will often say, "Why does it matter to you if it's raining or cold or snowing? It's my livelihood. It actually impacts me." Yes, that's true. I get that a farmer would be more sensitive to weather. But that doesn't mean I'm going to shut up on the matter. Nor will anyone! It's one issue that's not terribly controversial. (I'm not talking climate here.) Can't find any common ground with someone? Bring up the weather. It's always a popular topic. No matter what the spin.

In Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris,  Gil (played by Owen Wilson) tries to coax his fiance (Rachel McAdams) to take a walk with him in Paris. She declines because of the rain. Eventually, the engagement is broken off. (Not because of her unwillingness to go walking...) But at the end of the movie Gil runs into a different girl whom he has met on his trip. He asks if she'd like to take a walk with him, just as it begins to rain. He braces himself for a rejection when she says,

"I don't mind getting wet...Paris is the most beautiful in the rain."

I love that scene. It makes me think about things differently. Instead of singing "April showers...blah blah blah," I think to myself: Embrace the rain. Or whatever else comes my way.