It’s a cold rainy weekend day as I write this. For many that would be a rather dreary prospect but I happen to enjoy the kind of days when the skies are gray, the temperature is low and everyone seems to be more inclined to stay inside. I find that such days put me in a very appreciative mood. I think of my good fortune in having a sturdy roof over my head and a heater that keeps the rooms feeling just right. I’ve got time to write blogs and read books because nobody wants to do much more than stay home on days like this. I have the perfect excuse for simply reveling in the quiet and slow pace that such a day seems to bring. 

I hear the sound of the falling rain interrupted now and again by a clap of thunder and I know that my plants will be very happy. I think of making some hot tea or maybe even baking a cake or some banana bread. I have every possible excuse for doing whatever tickles my fancy on such days and with all of the bad news seemingly overtaking us day by day I like the idea of using the rain as a way of easing my anxieties. The weather provides a mental health day that I need not explain to anyone. It is my way of taking a breather and resting a bit. 

It is quiet in the house save for the pattering of raindrops on the roof. Somehow the sounds of nature doing its thing are all that I need to feel refreshed and part of the bigger picture of life. Just when I felt a bit down here came the rain to brighten my spirits. 

Now you may be thinking that rain would be a downer for me. Surely I would enjoy a sunny day much more. Those blue skies and bright lights are quite lovely indeed but I know that there are places where there has been little or no rain for quite sometime. An overabundance of dry days has filled the landscape with shades of brown and earthen colors in many parts of the world. Where I live the rain keeps things green and lively. I am incredibly grateful for that. 

I think of those who are enduring famine or fires because of a lack of rain and am reminded to take the time to do something to help them however I might. Just because I have what I want and need does not mean that I should forget the places and the people who worry about the plunging levels of water. Rain has more and more become like gold as long as there is not an overabundance of it. 

There was a time after hurricane Harvey when rain made me worry. I was unable to relax as I constantly looked out my window to be certain that the water in the street was flowing away from my lawn. I was awakened by the arrival of storms and sometimes not able to return to my slumbers.

I suppose that I have become less concerned that rain equates with danger in the eight years since that incredible event brought over fifty inches of rain to the area where I live. I still wonder how it was possible that the rising levels of water never went over the curb and into my yard. When I saw the damage done to the homes of nearby neighbors, friends and relatives I almost felt guilty to have been so fortunate. For a very long time rain made me a bit crazy but now such feelings are gone. 

My flood insurance costs a small fortune these days and is bound to go higher and higher over time. I wonder what the tipping point will be for those of us who live in places that flood from time to time. Still I am certain that I would rather worry about water encroaching on my home than fire overtaking it. I can clean out the muck and replace the walls but when a home burns nothing is left. I suppose that fires in Hawaii and Los Angeles have made me feel more and more partial to the rainy days that seem to show up regularly. 

So today is a good day. The skies are gray but my heart is feeling content. I have time to dwell on the luck that I have had for most of my life. I know I need to share some of the good fortune that began with my wonderful parents and has continued with a host of dear friends and an extended family that is ever present to help me with all of my needs. Out of gratitude I will do something wonderful for someone who is having a difficult time. The rain reminds me of my duty and gives me the opportunity today to plan for tomorrow. How lovely is that?