There are two types of people in the world—those who use an umbrella and those who use the first thing they can grab on (or just go with their hands) and make a run for it.
When I attended University in 2018, I discovered that I loved walking. Back in campus, when the weather began to turn and the air was heavy with the threat of rain, I would look up and mumble quietly to the sky, asking it not to pour until I reached my destination. I made those silent prayers on a regular because I didn’t own an umbrella. For some reason, I keep losing them. Ergo I have postponed the costly attempt of owning one.
Upon knowing it’s drizzling outside, normal human beings with a logical thought process take out their umbrellas and walk on or wait it out. Alas, there is always an exception to that normalcy because somewhere in the world, there is a fool who thinks she can outrun the rain and make it on the other side without getting too wet. That fool is me.
Not only was I cold and partly drenched, but I tracked mud and grass on my shoes, and in turn, the combination of these things attracted unwanted attention. I apologize for giving you secondhand embarrassment.
This memory always makes me laugh. Now, it teaches us something as well.
To Wait for the Perfect Sunny Day
Every city holds an annual festival of their own. For most places, the carnival is the shining glory that these celebrations carry. Every child (and adult) loves it, and anyone who tells you otherwise is probably lying.
When I was a kid, someone promised me that we would go out and ride the Ferris wheel galore until I threw up. Then, it started raining!
Long story short, the only ride I got that night was on the Misery Bus of Dead [Carnival] Dreams.
Sometimes we can try to wait out the rain and hope for the perfect sunny day to emerge to make our dreams a reality. But it goes without saying that we could be waiting forever.
I hope the Misery Bus of Dead Dreams leaves empty when it stops by your place.
To Trudge the Wet Plains of Life
Rain can mean a lot of things for a lot of different people; such is the power of metaphor. For you, rain could be the things that are out of your control or something that catches you off guard. Perhaps, it is something you can’t outrun, no matter how hard you may try.
When it starts to rain in the middle of your journey, I ask that you don’t hide under a shed, endlessly waiting for sunny skies. Instead, take out your umbrellas, your boots, your raincoat, and carry on. When the sky stops pouring, which it will, you will have walked closer to where you need to go. If you wait for the perfect moment to do something, you’ll never do it.
To Foolishly Outrun the Un-Outrunnable
You can’t outrun the rain, you can’t outpace the past, and you can’t chase the future. What can you do?
You can stop running. You can rest in a warm place. You can take out your umbrella—anything or anyone that could help you on your journey.
Or you can learn to dance in the rain. You can learn to dance with the fear of getting wet and the fear of what other people might say when they see you.
Instead of outrunning the rain, you can soak it in and let it water you—this is the only way seeds grow.
You choose.
What Can We Learn From This?
In life, you can either choose to wait for the rain to stop or take out your umbrella and continue your journey. But you can’t do both, and you can’t outrun it.
Are you dealing with rain in your life right now? What do you choose? Leave your answer in the comments section. If you know somebody who is, share this article and help them learn what you have learned.
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