Just another rainy Wednesday…

Over the course of the last month, I began to wonder if this Washington became the other Washington, the one that gets lots of rain and mist, doesn’t have as many sunny days, and would have a higher probability of higher mold counts all year round. This Washington, Washington DC, has felt like it is under water with rain on many weekdays and weekends throughout September. I felt like I got so lucky when I did yoga on the beach, that the rain had cleared and the skies were bright blue. I'm looking forward to more days like that.

This morning, though, was another rainy Wednesday morning. I felt lucky that I remembered my umbrella and decided to wear my raincoat. I got up and even by the time I left (about 7:30) it was still dark outside. And the rain, well, the rain was coming down hard. At the end of the workday, my shoes still hadn't dried out (it's time to find rain boots that will fit my feet). And of course, this morning there were delays on the metro. I was feeling pretty frustrated at first. Then I stopped and took a step back, thinking about what really was happening. My shoes may have been soaked (and still are), but the rest of me was dry. Although there were train delays, I was still in my office by 8 AM. And when I got off the metro, I was pleasantly surprised that the massive downpour had stopped, at least long enough for me to go to Starbucks and get to my office building without the use of an umbrella. So, after taking inventory of the morning, really, it wasn't that bad at all and quite honestly, the day is actually off to a great start. (And it kept getting better as the sun came out by lunchtime.)

Then I set my intentions for the day: be present, patient, & kind, let go, and stay dry (or get wet playing in puddles). Yes, that's right, stay dry or get wet. (Getting wet was no longer an option since it did dry out by mid-day.) After reflecting on the morning and how as a "grown-up" I am generally so worried about getting wet, I remembered what it was like not to care about that, the times when you would walk in the rain and deliberately jump in the puddles. Remember those days, when it was highly likely that there would be a lively discussion with either mom or dad about why you shouldn't jump in the puddles after you came back into the house soaked. I think as a kid, I didn't appreciate letting go and jumping in puddles. Hey, as a kid, I also didn't like to get sand on me at the beach or dirt on me in the yard. Somewhere along the line all that changed, I don’t melt in the rain, so who cares if I get wet or my hair gets a little frizzy, and a little sand or dirt can be washed off. At some point, I learned to let go and enjoy. When that happened, I can't exactly pinpoint, but I'm so happy that it did.

We are all constantly changing and growing. Embracing the changes and growth rather than fighting them is yet another way that I find contentment in my life. It's a way of letting go and being present. I had actually hoped that today I'd be able to jump in a few puddles or simply stand in the rain without an umbrella and since it couldn't be today, it will definitely be another day. I wanted to take a moment to just be a kid again, to let go, and have fun. I still was able to let go today, it just wasn't in the rain. Before writing this, I took a moment to turn my world upside down and get a change in perspective. It felt so good. And if the DC weather keeps up, I'm sure i'll have that opportunity to jump in a puddle or two sometime relatively soon.

When was the last time you jumped in a puddle or stood in the rain without an umbrella? Do you ever wish you could go back to your childhood and relive the days when you did without hestitation?

Update: So it did end up raining last night, and I did get to walk in the rain without an umbrella. No jumping in puddles though, next time. :)