I Love You, Rain!

I believe that we take the rain for granted. For many people, a rainy day means canceled plans, horrible traffic and damp clothes. Lucky for me, I come from a family who loves the rain. To the people who hate the rain (and even for the people like me who enjoy every drop) I give you the following ten reasons as to why you shouldn’t write the rain off.

1. If it didn’t rain, crops wouldn’t be able to grow. Farmers would be out of work. Fruits and vegetables would become a thing of the past. It wouldn’t be a good scenario. True, most farms have irrigation systems. However, rain water is still important to the growth process. You might as well stop eating fruits and vegetables if you’re going to turn your back on the rain.

2. Just as we love taking cold showers on hot days so does the Earth. When it rains on a hot day, the water cools down the Earth, thus lowering the temperature. Sure, the Earth doesn’t get to use body wash, but it doesn’t mind. The Earth is humble and only needs water to be satisfied. Would you cheat the Earth of a summer shower?

3. The exterior of your car is an absolute mess. You really should take it for a wash, but you just don’t have the time. In such a situation, the rain is your friend. Though it doesn’t make your car spotless, it does provide you with the opportunity to put the wash off for another day. The next time you want to curse the rain, don't. It's not nice to be mad at your friend especially when they allow to put things off till another day.

4. Regardless of the size of your pool, it takes money to fill it. Even after the initial filling, you still have to keep it filled to a certain level so the filter will work. With the economy being how it is, you need to do as much as possible to conserve money. When it rains, your pool gets filled for free. Instead of complaining about a canceled picnic, you should thank the rain for saving you some money.

5. For me, there is no more relaxing sound in the world than the sound of the rain. When you add in the sound of a gentle breeze going through the trees and some light thunder, it's heaven. Instead of spending money on relaxation CDs, you should listen to the rain. You might be surprised at how much you like it.

6. On a connected note, I find the rain to be absolutely beautiful. It has its own personality and doesn’t stop for anyone. It falls in its own pattern. It is colorless and fits in everywhere. It washes away dirt and creates mirrors (puddles) everywhere that you can look into and see how happy the rain has made you. Considering this, it is no wonder that so many poems have been written about this form of precipitation.

7. Too frequently I see signs in towns near me that warn of a water shortage. For these residents, they are not allowed to water their plants or do any other “frivolous” act that involves water unless it is a certain day of the week. If you are one of these people, the next time it rains, you should put out a barrel and collect the rainwater. If you do this, using your barrel water, you will be able to water your plants any day you please. Even if you don’t live in such a community, it still is a good idea. We need to conserve our natural resources in order for our world to survive. It also doesn’t hurt that it would lower our utility bills.

8. No matter what age you are, it is loads of fun to splash in puddles. Yes, when you splash you get wet and whatever else was in that puddle is now on you, but who cares about such things when you’re having fun? The next time you see a puddle, don’t hesitate to splash in it. People will undoubtedly look at you funny but let them. Everyone is entitled to their own fun as long as it doesn’t hurt anyone.

9. It’s been raining for days. When the sun finally comes out, you suddenly have a new appreciation of the sun. You are inspired to be outdoors and be active. Be sure to wear sun block if you plan on staying outside longer than the time it takes to sing in celebration with birds.

10. In all honesty, you don’t have to enjoy the rain to see the beauty in rainbows, but it does help. As mentioned in the Bible, rainbows form after a rainstorm as a sign of peace which may explain why so many peace groups use the rainbow as a symbol. The next time it stops raining, be sure to search in the sky for a rainbow. When you find it, I hope it brings you peace.

If we’re open to finding it, beauty can be found anywhere especially in nature. We often disregard natural occurrences because they happen so frequently and without our consent. After one rainstorm too many, we get fed up with the rain and don’t realize that without the rain there would be no Earth. The next time it rains, I hope you can see the beauty in it. If not, please remember its worth.