Rainy Days

Lyrics from an old Karen Carpenter song are melodically meandering in my brain: 🎶"Rainy days and Mondays always get me down."🎶 I’ve always enjoyed that tune—truthfully more for the sweet sounds of Karen Carpenter versus the lyrics. But, when one of your last days of summer freedom (insert another pop culture icon: Mel Gibson from "Dances with Wolves”), the rainy day initially got me down. Sitting outside on a bench in the sun to read for awhile or a last ditch pool day soaking up the sun were my main agenda. Sadly, there’s no sun to be had, no idyllic day.

Being out and about fairly early after dropping off my son at sports, I found myself pondering what to do with this now-rainy-day. Clearly not Plan A. 

So Plan B started with getting my hot green tea (“with honey and 10 ice cubes, please”--much to my husband's chagrin) at the local mom & pop coffee shop.  Then, assessing the rain, I decided to sit outside under the awning of my coffee shop and watch it rain. In doing so, I get my #NatureFix of being outside (which is really more street-and-parking-lot-view rather than a green one, but still a refreshingly cool breeze and some nature sights in the vista of the my view). I also got the #BlueMind aspect in the rain of this rainy day--gazing out at the forming puddles, the steady sight and sound of it coming down, and the mist hitting me as the wind shifted. 

Being outdoors (especially when indoors and delta variants and Covid are all a creeping concern) was therapeutic. Time was mine. Rain was fine. Perfect way to be present to read, think, observe, and literally soak it in.

Not to shabby, all in all, and not too far from my original game plan. I’ll take it. Better yet, I’ll embrace it.

Image from my camera from where I sat.