The rain that doesn’t let you go 遣らずの雨
10 life-changing Japanese sayings
This series introduces poetic Japanese sayings which inspire life. And today it’s about the rainy nature of relationships.
遣らずの雨
(Yarazu no Ame)
The rain that doesn’t let you go
In a random encounter with your crush, you two have some small chats, but it’s time to go. Then the rain comes. Why not staying a little longer?
To sum up this whole movie scene in one phrase, that’s 遣らずの雨 (Yarazu no Ame): the rain that doesn’t let you go.
The phrase leaves a big blank space of imagination like most oriental philosophy. Is the rain an alibi hiding a true passion for each other, or is the rain a mere convenient excuse postponing your inevitable leave?
The reason why you stay together, which is the real one? “The rain” or “the person”?
Have you found your “rain buddies”?
There may be someone who opens the umbrella for you or brings you sandwiches, and over time being getting used to.
Why are they doing this? He brought me the umbrella because it’s raining while I did not bring mine. She bought me sandwiches because I had no time for lunch. Logically sound and definitely weird.
It’s easy to tell they are doing all these little things for you.
Is it raining now? Try not to think of the rain, the umbrella but the one willing to keep you company in the rain.
P.S. Alone in the rain now? Just drink something warm and forget my nonsense babbling.
Will you stay together after “the rain”?
There are relationships on the other end of the spectrum though.
The environment sometimes keeps us together and lures us into a fantasy of a true longlasting companionship. Idealized to be something permanent and unchanged, the bond may be merely formed by “the rain”: some external factors.
The house, the kid, the marriage and the social pressure all bind people together. Sometimes in a sudden, the bonding forces vanish. The answer to why being together seemed to become foggy.
At the end of the day, “the rain” provides the bonding opportunity. It can rain for years, but still, it won’t rain forever. If you would like to stay together, you need to explore other true callings to move forward. If not, you move on.
Even it’s still raining, leaving is still an option
The courageous one who is not afraid of getting soaked in the rain can always leave, even without an umbrella.
The truly courageous one and the toughest one may even take the companion out of the shelter into the rain not letting life stop the both of you.
From now on, the rain means a little bit more to you with new associations.
Follow me if you would like to see things a little differently from the lens of the Japanese culture.
In the series of “10 Japanese sayings, 10 life lessons”, I would like to share classy and beautiful selections of Japanese sayings that may change life perspectives. Language is the mirror of culture and philosophy. Through the lens of Japanese, we may see a different color in life.
Read my other posts in the same series:
The soul in speech 言霊
Cut off, let go and leave behind 断捨離
Written by Rex Lam K.M.
Someone who tries hard to love the saddening life a little bit more, and happens to see the light through the lens of Japanese philosophy.
