Let The Rain Fall

 

"Stand still and consider the wonderous works of God." - Job 37:14

There's a song by Dave Matthews that gently encourages us all to let go of things, to erase the pretenses of adulthood and go outside on - of all things - a rainy day and "let the rain fall down on you." He repeats that line softly, over and over again, and it is mesmerizing.

Those of us here in L.A. are seeing some rain today, and after parking my car at work this morning in a bit of a downpour, I remembered that song, got out of the car and - right in the middle of the parking lot - spread my arms wide and turned my face to the sky. Do you wanna know something? It was like a time machine; I was eight again, when such behavior is commonplace, and one has not yet put on the armor of adulthood, when the worries of getting your clothes wet or looking like an idiot take precedence over that absolutely marvelous feeling of raindrops on your face and open hands.  To anyone looking at me in that parking lot I probably looked like a crazy man but somewhere past the Milky Way I'm almost sure the Big Guy cracked a smile.

"We should remember the simple joys of life." You've heard that a million times by now. Why? Because a million people before you have realized it, which probably means it's pretty close to being a solid piece of wisdom. Rain on your face, an extra five minutes of prayer in the morning, intentionally driving in the slow lane to work one day so as not to "feel" the pressure of that fast lane, taking the time to talk with a friend...little things that become big things, in that they help to offset the insidous weight, felt and unfelt, of our daily burdens.

It's amazing how a little bit of rain on your face can actually make you feel weightless. Try it for yourself. You'll see.