As a child in Northeast Montana, I loved the rain so much I would go outside in it with my swimsuit on and wash my hair with shampoo rinsed with rainfall. I would swirl and dance out there in the rain, which came too infrequently and left too quickly. I would inhale the delightful scent of freshness it brought to the land. Whenever rain clouds hovered, without fail I would say, “Bring it on!”
My kids must have inherited this rain gene from me. Just yesterday my 10-year-old said she likes rainy days even more than sunny ones. When I returned this morning from a breakfast date with a friend, she and two other of my children were reveling in a downpour, the littlest one still in his jammies, enjoying every moment.
Or maybe it’s just the innocence of a child, a child who has no real concerns of flooding or drought. These bigger issues that we adults fret about rarely affect children, who see life through a prism of hopefulness, if we’re lucky.
On this day, I wasn’t about to cast a negative cloud on their early-morning dance in the rain. I simply ran inside to get my camera so that I might freeze a moment or two of their raindy-day zeal.
Oh, to be frequently reminded of the simple pleasures in life. Of all of the benefits of parenthood, this has been one of the greatest.
Your a very talented photographer. I enjoy your photographs just as much as your writing! We have much to learn from children it’s true. Too often we let fear cloud our joy and this is perfect example. My kids love rainy days better too and some of my most favorite moments were when they donned umbrellas to walk in the rain, when we’ve played touch football as a family in the pouring rain, or just kickin’ up puddles after a good downpour.
Hey friend,
What a nice comment. I started out more word-heavy on my blog but as I began adding photos here and there, I decided fewer words and more photos was more effective. I am enjoying this new way of posting. Thanks for noticing!
BTW, good seeing you today at the pool!