It started at around 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, and rained almost non-stop throughout the rest of the weekend. I swear I began hearing the haunting sounds of, 'Rain, rain, go away! Come again some other day. Rain, rain, go away, little (insert name) wants to play,' a jingle we kids chanted back in the day.
Actually I love the rain, its pitter-patter, its splash off my shoulder, its puddling on the ground, its purifying of the air, and the the fresh smell of the outdoors when it's over.
When I was a child, while sitting on our front porch as thunder rumbled across the sky, my Zedo (grandfather) would tell me stories of his youth in Czechoslovokia. He said they worked the fields, planting, maintaining, and harvesting, during thunder, lightning, and heavy downpours. He and his brother, John, viewed Nature with reverent respect, and believed they had nothing to fear when inclement weather rolled in.
Occasionally I'd run off the porch during a storm and twirl around in the grass, trying to catch rain drops in my mouth. Zedo would look at me lovingly, proud of the one grandchild who inherited his courageous, independent spirit. Although he never said it in words, the twinkle in his eyes spoke volumes.
On the other hand, my Baba (grandmother) was petrified of thunder and lightning. As soon as the skies darkened, with her rosary beads in hand, she'd head for the basement stairs, close the door behind her, and pray for safety while sitting alone in the cold, damp cellar.
Zedo and Baba were like night and day, one silent, pensive, and stern, the other, chatty, humorous, and easy-going. I like to think I somehow absorbed all of their qualities, and am so blessed to have spent my entire childhood under their roof.
Rain is nothing but water, and above every other element, water is essential to the preservation of all life on Earth. Whether it be plant, animal, or human, without water, in a very short time, everything on the planet would die.
Too, water is symbolic of the Spirit within each of us. Just as people satisfy thirst with water, our subconsciousness and consciousness are replenished with the presence of the Spirit. To continue to grow and evolve into the actualized beings we are intended to be, by allowing ourselves to be a channel through which the Spirit can freely flow, we contribute to the growth and evolution of others as well.
'Rain, Rain, Come and Stay' not only refers to the watery drops that fall from the clouds, but is a prayer offered to the Spirit to 'come and stay' within our minds, hearts, and souls more completely for the betterment of everyone.
Blessings and Peace!
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