Rain really is the perfect excuse isn’t it? We can call anything on account of rain. Sorry Timmy, soccer’s canceled on account of rain. We even have a phrase to both convey that we want to cancel our plans on account of rain and pose the idea of rescheduling in only two words, rain check. Why does the rain keep us from doing so many things? We have umbrellas, we have the technology to stay dry. And yet, it’s still the perfect excuse. I am just as culpable as anyone else but I find myself using the rain as an excuse to cancel on myself. Rain is a perfect reason not go on my morning run. Rain is a perfect reason not to go and buy groceries. Rain is a perfect reason not to leave my home after work and explore the city. Rain is the perfect reason because it’s so effective.
But why is it such a mood killer? If aything it’s a mood booster. For people like me who find the rain relaxing, immersion should be the ultimate experience, and it is! But the expectation that rain should stop you in your tracks is what leads to an inability to act in its presence. This feels more like a learned trait than a natural one. We learn from our parents or anyone with decision making power (which is anyone but you when you’re a child), that precipitation is a call to inaction. But I’m no longer a child, I’m a dault who makes his own decisions, sets his own behaviours and routines. Routines like daily exersice.
Yesterday, I walked to the gym from my home through rainfall. The beauty of the night sky amplifying the power of streetlights on the rain was magical. Because working out at that time is already apart of my routine, the rain check had less power over me, and as a result I was able to experience one of life’s greatest beauties. This is a call to action. Resist the urge to cancel your plans and embrace the rain in all its glory, maybe do a little dance.