PLUVIOPHILIA

My love for rainy days stems from the fact that I never had birthdays without rain. On every eve of my birthday, my parents and sisters would usually be busy preparing for my big day and I would sit at the windowsill near the front door staring up at the dark grey sky and tracing lightning bolts as rain starts to pour in. My birthdays are always characterized with thunderstorms, scattered rain showers and lightning bolts. It comes so strong that a lot of times it doused my guests and damped their spirits to revel my big day. 

While a lot of my guests loathe rain, I never felt happy when it pours down. There is this unspeakable phenomenon happening in me that when it drizzles down I feel empowered and very much alive. I find comfort and peace at the kind of music raindrops make. I love the smell of the petrichor; of how withered from the last summer stirred in a wet air like a scented aromatic perfume.  I get excited wearing sweater and sipping a hot chocolate or freshly brewed coffee while watching the rain pour down. Likewise, it keeps my mood buoyant as the coldness of shower mist spread through my room beckoning me to return to my bed, rolled myself in a warm blanket and read. 

Growing up, it dawned on me that rain will always be a part of me. It has actually been a part of my every first and life milestones; I got first job as a writer after braving the storm and being drench in the rain. My first romantic date was when a guy I liked asked me to go out with him while thunderstorms and lightning roared behind my ears. My first international travel was during an extremely inclement weather that I have to wait at least 8 hours in Detroit, Chicago for my connecting flight to Dulles International Airport in Washington.

Perhaps a coincidence, but rain occupies a very special place in my heart. I always thought of it as a blessing, a metaphor and a versatile symbol that teaches me of the truths of life.  The literal and figurative implications and meanings of rain convey realities that are very applicable in our everyday life. I have discovered three and here are they. 

1.      An opportunity to appreciate beauty in the ugliest days- Many of us looked at rainy days as “less than days”. I would not contend on that because a rainy day has its own inconvenience. Traffic is worse. Just getting in and out of the car is a major challenge. Having an umbrella would not guarantee you dryness. To top it off, everything is grey and flat-out depressing. But looking at the bright side, rain is beautiful in its own way. You encounter small act of kindness as stranger share an umbrella with you. It gives you a sense of relief from the heat of the sun. More importantly, it reminds us that after the rain there is always a rainbow that prompts us of God’s promises. 

2.      Force us to go out of our comfort zone- Rain forces us to go out of our comfort zone and to do the unimaginable. I mentioned earlier that I got my first job as a writer after braving the storm and literally being drench in the rain for a final interview with the Director of the Company. I learned a great deal from this experience. It always reminds me  to go out of my comfort zone.  If I followed my natural instinct to stay at home, do what will make me comfortable and wait for the rain to stop, I would not land on my first job that opened doors of opportunities and connections. 

3.      Quiets restless soul - When it rains, the wind is also making its presence known in subtle, gentle ways. If we just clear our minds we could see how tree limbs sway back and forth; each dancing its own distinctive dance and how it brings harmony and peace. This scenario reminds me of that still small voice. Though it is subtle, it is powerful enough to heal, to mend, to love and to guide us in the way it should be. Apart from the wind, the rhythmic sound of the rain reminds me of rest. The music sound of the rain appeals so much in my brain that it quiets by busy mind and a lot of times it helps me to fall asleep easily. 

Rain is a lot like love. It resonates that it opens and enlivens our heart making it feel like being home. 

I am a lover of rain. A pluviophilia.