#3: The pleasures of a wet day
I love how time becomes liquid. Everyone slows down by a step or two. They’re more cautious, more mindful of their surroundings. The thoughts running through their minds are of the present moment. “Don’t slip. Watch out for that muddy puddle. Pay attention to the traffic lights. My bag needs more shelter under the umbrella.” It is a mass meditative experience.
“Sorry I’m late, it was raining heavily.” There may be a buzz of annoyance, but it is often accepted for an excuse. Tolerance levels increase, and there is less judgment in being slow…er. A weight lifted off society’s collective shoulders.
Rain is relaxing. I love having a coffee at a cafe, feeling at total ease. I take delight in the creative ideas people think up to stay dry. I rejoice with them as they skip over and conquer a puddle, or dodge something that has morphed into an obstacle. It reminds me of the ingenuity of being human.
I allow myself to take a moment, guilt free of any self-imposed stress. The sun burns with vitality and pushes for activity — “don’t waste the day away!”. But the rain washes me with calm, and soothes my anxieties. I love how everyone must slow down, to a pace which is actually my norm. This instills in them more empathy, as they realise that their neighbours are in the same predicament as they are. We are equals now, and I am not pressured to keep up with their usual pace. I can be as slow as I need to be. It feels like such a huge relief.
And even if you manage to keep up to speed, you can’t force the people around you to do so. Like it or not, a rainy day has a ripple effect. You have to relinquish control; not everything revolves around you.
