Scientifically (and very simply stated), rain is the part of the water cycle where evaporated H₂O forms droplets that become too heavy for the clouds to hold, so the droplets are released and fall to the ground.  Physically, rain is something that can ruin your hair, your shoes, and your electronics, but it also helps to provide life to the plants and animals of the world.  Emotionally, rain can make a bad day worse, but it can also refresh your soul and renew your perspective.  The day and situation can have drastic effects on how you react to rain. 

Go into your mind for a moment.  Think of someplace outside that you love.  It can be in the mountains, on the beach, in the city…  Wherever your happy place is.  Are you enjoying your own company or are you surrounded by friends?  What are you doing at your outside happy place? 

Now imagine that the sky begins to mist over your scene.  The mist transforms into sprinkles.  The water droplets continue to grow in size and quicken in frequency.  It begins to pour down rain across your happy place.  Do you run for cover or do you sit there and embrace it? 

For me, rain can either make an occasion better, potentially out of the humor and ridiculousness of the situation, or it can make things worse depending on where I am and what else is happening (I’d image this is how most people feel).  Rain can also have a varying effect on the same situation depending on a specific point in time. 

One morning while on the John Muir Trail, my sister and I were standing next to our tent at Sapphire Lake with the other backpackers that stayed there the night before.  We were staring down an approaching storm over the surrounding mountain ranges, deciding whether to pack up camp and hike towards the storm and risk attempting the mountain pass in the distance or to stay and wait to see what the storm did.  We stayed (much to my dismay).  At this time, I loathed the distant storm and rain.  It was ruining my day. 

Eventually, I went to ‘relieve myself’ behind some boulders.  We were above tree line, so boulders were the only choice I had.  Glaring grumpily at the storm while digging my cat hole, I watched as the distant storm finally crested over the mountain pass and started rushing towards us.  I watched as the pouring rain swiftly approached our camp and my cat hole. 

I was in my only pair of dry clothes, my pajamas.  My hiking clothes were still wet from yesterday’s storm.  I abandoned my cat hole and my personal relief effort and ran across the field of rocks (well, as fast as I could safely run across a field of rocks) until I reached the trail.  Then, I switched into sprinting speed, flew past a few hikers getting rain gear out of their packs, and as I skidded into camp I started yelling to my sister, “Open the tent!”  She got the door open just in time for me to dive straight in. 

I should also mention that I was using some choice four-letter words that started with ‘F’ and ‘S’, and variations thereof, as I ran from the cat hole to the safety of the tent. 

After my expert dive into the tent, we both started to laugh hysterically.  This was the second time on the trip that I had to dive into the tent due to being caught outside in a storm. 

I suppose it was a good thing we did not try the mountain pass… 

We were waiting out the storm.  The raging wind knocked one of the tent stakes out of the ground, which then put me responsible for holding up that side of the tent by pushing my sleeping bag’s waterproof sack into the tent’s corner to act as a brace.  My sister and I watched as one of my flip flops even started to float under the vestibule on the outside of the tent.  That’s right, there was so much water that my flip flop started to float!

Sometimes, you just have to laugh at the ridiculousness of the situation. 

Back home in Georgia, I just went for my first run in about one month.  I had the urge to start running again to help me get rid of the anxiety and stress that had recently entered both my personal and work life.  I had to do something to help me find my sanity and I knew running would help me.  It had rained a little earlier in the day, but so many hours had passed since then that I was sure the likelihood of rain had diminished despite the clouds that were still hovering over my neighborhood.  At least the earlier rain had cooled down the hot southern air. 

I walked out of my apartment door to find water pouring from the sky!  I was ecstatic!  This rain instantly uplifted my spirit!  I love running in the rain!  I would dance in the rain, but I don’t think many people want to see my rendition of the famous ‘sprinkler’ dance move…  So I ran instead. 

There is just something special about running in the rain.  It makes me feel real and alive.  Running in the rain helps wash away my stress (pun intended).  It reminds me that there are greater things outside of the four walls, floor, and ceiling that we so often surround ourselves by every day.  It reminds me that there isn’t always a roof over your head or climate controlled temperatures.  Some things you cannot control, so you might as well accept them and appreciate what you can control.  Nothing is perfect, but it doesn’t have to be perfect to be amazing. 

I needed to feel the rain on my skin.  I needed that to remind myself, regardless of the recent stressors in my life, I am alive and that is a pretty amazing thing. 

Next time it rains, whether you are near your outside happy place or not, go outside.  Catch raindrops on your tongue.  Appreciate the moment.  Laugh at the ridiculousness of things.  Let your stress wash away.  And appreciate the amazingness of life, because you are alive and that is pretty amazing.