Summer Rain

“Rain is grace; Rain is the sky condescending to the earth;

Without rain there would be no life”

                                                                                                               John Updike
 

Rainy days have always been a time to relax. I learned this from my mother. She would relax because she couldn’t do the wash or so many things in the rain. We would play games inside and have fun. Mom would make stews and fresh bread and cinnamon piecrust. We would laugh, sing songs, and tell ghost stories. So of course I carried this forward with my own children. They would line up the chairs in a row for a train and cover the table with a blanket for a cave. In fact one of my sons was so afraid of the thunder that he would insist on the covered table to hide under--with the dog!

Whenever I feel a need to change my life due to stress or problems I always wish for a rainy day. And if I can not wish one up, I pretend and relax anyway. Over my lifetime I have learned to be creative at finding things to do for my rainy days things that truly help me to relax, take stock of my life, and renew my energy and joy.

However, thinking you can relax only when it rains or when you can’t do anything else, is not really the point. Relaxing is a way of life. We should take time every day to relax. Take time every day for our needs. Taking even a few moments each day to relax and enjoy our lives--to make a “rainy day” event happen with a soothing cup of tea, for instance, will help us to find peace and contentment and allow us to renew ourselves.

The happiest heart that ever beat was in some quiet breast

That found the common daylight sweet, And left to Heaven the rest.
                                                                                                  John V. Cheney

Renew thyself completely each day; do it again, and again, and forever again.

Chinese inscription cited by Thoreau in Walden

Peace and Joy to All