Rain

Spring is here. Spring always brings with it the spring rains. As a kid, I used to play in the rain regularly. Thunderstorms were a perfect playground for me. Thunderstorms display an unbridled power that causes us to marvel. Water randomly falling from the sky is a marvelous concept in itself. You can be as loud as you want to be in the midst of a thunderstorm and it will still drown you out, literally and figuratively. Rain can soak you all the way through to your very soul.

As adults, we develop this obsession with staying dry. We carry umbrellas, raincoats, and build covered walkways to avoid the rain. I wonder if this phenomenon tells us something about ourselves. We take note of kids who seem to be scared of big storms, but I don't really think the storms cause their fear. I think what they're really scared of is the unknown. Early in life they haven't experienced enough storms to understand and appreciate them. Adults, by contrast, put on a cool demeanor, but in reality live like we're terrified of rain. I wonder about that.

Are we terrified of getting wet, then cold, then dying of pneumonia? That's not likely. I'm not talking about being trapped outdoors during the African monsoon season with no available shelter. I'm talking about playing in the rain in the back yard. Are we terrified of getting wet, looking ridiculous, and being ridiculed by our peers for our appearance? That's more likely, and it's a stupid reason to be terrified. Are we terrified of being struck by lightning? "It's way to dangerous to be playing outside." The odds are slim. Could it be that we're more terrified of our neighbors thinking we've lost all sense of decorum?

As adults we lose the inner kid, which I personally think is tragic. Try playing in the rain the next time a storm passes through and reclaim the inner kid. Not only will it energize you, but it will also refresh you. Genuine fun has a way of doing that - clearing away the clutter of life, allowing a laugh, and putting us on a better footing to do the work of life afterwards.

Go play in the rain.