The Beauty of Rain

Anyone that knows me knows that I love snow. I turn into a child when it snows. I can sit and watch it snow for hours, and then go outside and play in it till I'm forced to come in. Snow is magical to me. It is fun, tastes good as snowcream, and is very symbolic.

Think about a snowflake. A snowflake is like an individual. It is created by God and is unique. No two snowflakes are exactly the same, just like us. It is fragile, just like we are. We all have our breaking points. Snow is made to be in community. I've been around snow my whole life and I've yet to ever see it snow just 1 flake. Snow comes in bunches, and it is through that community of flakes that snow becomes strong, that it is the blanket that covers the ground and hides things. And yes, just like you and I hide things from others (not everyone needs to see/know everything about us.) snow hides the barrenness of winter.

As much as I love snow, and I can't tell you just how wonderful I find snowy days, I am also learning to love rainy days too. For many people rain means gloomy skies, headaches getting around and just plain frustration. Yet, rain is beautiful.

Rain is refreshing. Rain is necessary for renewal. The rainwater helps keeps the grass green, the trees and plants growing. Rain washes away the dirt, it purifies. Rain is also created and given to us by our Creator. It is just as much a gift as snow is.

While you can't make forts or people out of rain, you can dance in it! What appears gloomy to some can be something you take joy in. Life is about attitude. It is about taking our circumstances and choosing to see the good. That isn't always easy, it takes work sometimes. But, isn't it better to go through life with a good attitude than a bitter one? Bitterness drives away people, joy is infectious and draws people in, and we could all use more friends, more life.

So, what are you going to do? Are you going to go out and dance and see the beauty that can come from today's circumstances, or are you going to let them trap you? When push comes to shoves it comes down to your choice. We can't choose our circumstances (I can't MAKE it snow), but we can choose how we will react.

-JLP-