I love the sound of rain… maybe not accompanied by thunder and lightning. But nonetheless I love the sound of rain.

When I was younger to get through really bad storms I let my imagination wonder. I seriously believed lightning was Jehovah taking pictures, thunder was Jehovah dancing, and rain, during sunlight, was Jehovah’s happy tears. It sounds silly now. But it was those thoughts that got me through some really scary storms.

Long ago I had a habit of running out into the rain. Yes, there was once a time that I didn’t care if my new satin pump stilettos would get mud, that my straight hair would go wavy and frizzy. Or that I might get sick, or ruin dry clean clothes. Then again I was 5, make up or the way I looked wasn’t a priority and I’m pretty sure nothing happens to leather patented Mary Jane shoes.

My mom would have a fit, like any mother would. But if I was at my grandmothers, she’d go right out with me. She embraced every crazy idea of mine.

Have you ever danced in the rain? No? Well you don’t know what you’re missing.

Its funny thinking about it now. Most of us at the sign of rain try to dash for cover. But as I drove home tonight and the rain hitting against my car was the soundtrack I heard I couldn’t help but miss those days. The pouring rain, the giggling and twirling. And the joy of doing something so silly but so fun.

I started thinking about something I read once. Life is not about getting out of the storm, it’s about learning to dance in the rain. And it’s true. Somewhere among the rainfall our lives can turn into thunderstorms or maybe even hurricanes. And all we can think about doing is getting out of the pouring rain. Whether it’s a relationship gone bad, or just a bad phase in our lives, when we feel the weight of the world on top of us… all we can think about is escaping it. See it’s easier to say Run when rain falls down then Dance. But maybe we make it that much harder for ourselves. Because by running all we do is lose energy and strength, all we do is keep running into… ourselves. Yet there are some facts we have to face. Our lives don’t forecast sunny days for eternity. More than likely, if not all ready, we will face times that will test our faith. But it is in those unfortunately upsetting moments that we must learn to dance in the rain. See Life sometimes requires changing the way you see things. Turning dead ends, into turning points. Turning a storm into a dance lesson.

With time you learn that if you do so, you get more out of life. Not that things will be easier but when we decide to find the silver lining in things, a positive outlook will help you find the calm after a storm, that peace you’ve been longing for and maybe even that laugh you haven’t heard in days.

I got out of the car walking as slowly as possible. It’d been so long I hadn’t felt the rain on my face. I felt silly, taking slow steps, getting soaked to the bone. And for old times sake twirling and letting the rain be my music.

“What are you doing?” My nosy neighbor yells from his car

“Learning to dance in the rain” I yell back and he just looks at me puzzled and a bit amused.

And I hear myself laugh once again....