illustration by Cia Castro Carbajal
I am sick and tired of all of you Debbie Downers hating on the rain.
The month of February has seen more rain than usual and I think I’m the only one that’s happy about it.
All I’ve heard people talk about is how much they hate the rain, that it’s canceling all their plans and that they don’t understand how it can be sunny one minute and rainy the next.
In my head, I’m just thinking, “OK what else do you wanna complain about?”
I’ve always loved the rain. I love the peace it brings me when I listen to it as white noise lying in bed at night, or just watching the raindrops build up on the windows as I sit in my car.
The American Heart Association even completed a study that found that listening to the rain can be a form of therapy, according to a blog post by Spectrum Health & Human Services.
Additionally, the sound of rain falling helps with concentration, relaxation and falling asleep, according to a BetterHelp article. Rain sounds overall contribute to improved moods.
I also loved the rain as a kid. I remember pretending two single raindrops were racing each other down the car window during car rides.
Rain gives me a sense of peace and tranquility that the hot, glaring sun can’t.
It’s just water.
It amuses me to watch people run for dry shelter in fear of getting wet by the rain. They act like the rain is going to hurt them. As I said, it’s just water people!
Sometimes I step outside when it’s raining — no hood or umbrella — and just bask in the moment. It’s kind of fun, you should try it.
Can we also talk about how romantic the rain is?
I’m sure most of you are familiar with that one scene in “The Notebook” where the two main characters kissed under the pouring rain.
If not, well what happened was Noah, played by Ryan Gosling, and Allie, portrayed by Rachel McAdams, kissed under the pouring rain confessing their love for each other after years of no contact.
It was beautiful, how they didn’t care about anything else, but simply just being present in the moment and in love.
Something I’ve grown to love about the rain is … umbrellas.
I used to hate when my mom would force me to wear an ugly, bright-colored raincoat to school and carry around an umbrella.
There used to be something so embarrassing about the attire expected to be worn during rainy weather.
But now, I get excited any time I get to whip out my trusty ole umbrella.
I feel like I’m in one of those hamster balls the way my umbrella shields me.
Not that I’m afraid of getting wet by the rain, it’s just a cool feeling. I feel like nothing can touch me.
It’s even better when there’s someone I can share my umbrella with — it just feels like a nice and intimate bonding experience — because you’re just holding onto each other and in your own little bubble.
It just gives me a reason to romanticize my life, which I already love doing.
The recent rain has also helped California with its drought problem.
The amount of rain California received this winter has ultimately brought only 1% of the California to Nevada region to remain in drought, according to an NBC San Diego article. Just last year, 100% of that region was in a drought.
I feel like it was just yesterday when people were begging for rain to come and get us out of this drought. Now that it’s here, people are taking it for granted.
Therefore, my suggestion is simply to appreciate the rain for its beauty. Bask in it. Enjoy it. Romanticize it.