On Rainstorms

Biking home today, there was quite an ominous cloud overhead and I was leaving the campus I could see where the rain started. A lot of you have seen it, I'm sure. That stark line that is obviously wet, the little pitter-patters in the distance. The smell of lightning... Yeah. Now. Imagine having to bike - or even better, walk - into it. That feeling of dread, the bracing to get wet, turning down your head so you can maintain visibility and allow your helmet to keep most of the rain from hitting you in the eyeball.

Some people come prepared, some people don't. Living in Florida all my life, rain is nothing new. And the size and impact of the big rain doesn't surprise me, either. I'm used to it. I've been caught in the rain so many times, I can't even begin to count how often. But it's still unsettling, when biking right next to all these student drivers that are potentially distracted by either their phones or friends. I am very aware of the dangers of biking in the rain. It can be pretty scary.

Anyway, I had a purpose for talking about this, didn't I? Oh, yes. Storms. We all come across storms in our lives. Sometimes we're prepared for them, sometimes we're not. Sometimes we've been caught in the same kind of storm, no matter how big or small, it doesn't surprise us. Sometimes we wait it out in our house or under the awning of a building. Sometimes we tilt our head, square our shoulders and face what is right in front of us, because the only other option is to stop going where we are headed.

Today's storm was really short. Just a small cloud too heavy to pass without a little lightening (and lightning!) I was braced for a longer battle, it's true. Sometimes we don't have to fight very long. Sometimes, though, after we've shot through the spurt of rain, we have to keep on in some other, unexpected way. Like your shoulder, back and surprisingly ribs hurting from the awkward weight of your newly purchased textbooks.

Now, I suppose I should have a conclusion of some sort now, but I don't really like having conclusions, when I know that we all really come up with our own conclusions. So, have fun. Endure storms. Be prepared. Or not. It's all up to you.

Love you all!