Rain

Today I was at the mall waiting for a friend when I overheard this lady say to one of the ladies working that they were waiting on the rain to stop. I thought about it for a few minutes and came to a sort of odd conclusion about it. Why would you wait for the rain to stop? like it's some sort of bad thing? So i walked over to the door to watch it fall, continuing to wait for the arrival of my friend, and I debating going outside and just standing in it. Letting it wash me clean and renew me, dancing in it and embracing it. As I sat there waiting and debating a lady walked in with her two kids, not realizing that I was waiting on someone to come in instead of waiting to go out, she said to me "It's a good thing you're waiting here, you don't want to be out in that" and I wanted so badly to reply "Yes, in fact, all of my wishes right now are to be out there in the pouring rain", but I held my tongue and didn't say anything. I thought long and hard about how if I wasn't waiting on my friend I would surely be running through the rain or playing basketball in it barefoot. I wanted to throw my arms out wide and just be open and let it just wash over me. But i was stuck inside, and as I stood there I starting thinking about my life and how I hope that I don't run for cover every time it rains. I hope that I can embrace my problems as easily as I embrace the rain. I would encourage you to do the same, not to run for cover when you start encountering problems, but to throw your arms out wide and embrace them, knowing that they might wash you clean, but also knowing that you will grow from it.