Rain Days and Mondays

If you are of a 'certain age,' you may recall the song with title: Rain Days and Mondays, written by Paul Williams and Roger Nichols and made famous by the Carpenters (I'll confess I looked that up, wouldn't have known the artist without hearing it on the radio):

Talkin' to myself and feeling old.

Sometimes I'd like to quit;

Nothing ever seems to fit;

Hangin' around, nothing to do but frown;

Rainy days and Mondays always get me down

It's the second day of rain in a row here in Madison - a first since we moved here - and we need it.  The ground needs it.  About the only thing that doesn't are those trees holding on to their colorful leaves - between the strong winds the other day and a couple days of rain... October rains are a signal winter is coming.

Rainy days don't always bring me down - but there is a bit of melancholy in the air along with the little drops of wet. 

Maybe it's because a rainy day is usually one that means staying inside.  I remember as a kid, that would be a problem:  couldn't go out to play, usually couldn't visit a friend, and the friends couldn't come over.  There were only four channels on the TV and really, who wanted to read?

Just thinking about those days are part of what induces those little feelings of self-pity.  The weeping clouds get us to think about missing things or just missing out.  Sunny days find us out and too busy to think such thoughts.

I think these drops of rain should maybe get used as prisms - directing the colors of the rainbow into our head and heart along with the vison of brighter days on the horizon.

Learning to appreciate the rain is difficult to do... since I tend to see it as an obstacle.  A few years ago, a golf outing I helped put together had an afternoon of rain join those on the course.  While there was some good-natured grumbling, there wasn't much complaining because everyone knew how much we needed it and were thankful to see it fall.  We were also thankful the golf course let us move our outdoor dinner inside where it was warm.

Yet, without the rain - the promise of the future:  tulip bulbs bursting forth as the winter snow melts, the growing trees, and abundant crops - will not come. 

As you sit inside today, or on your next 'rainy' day (whether it rains or not), use the day to reflect, think, and also contemplate some of the blooms that you can't even contemplate that are waiting to burst into bloom in a future someday.

Then get out your 'puddle-jumpers' and go splash around!  

Thanks to Mrs. Zastoupil for that kindergarten experience.