[[Neo]] 104

It's an interesting thing really...the rain is.

It has so many connotations to be derived from it. In some sense it brings life, goodness, prosperity, cleansing. But in others it signifies death, the end, evil, darkness, and trouble ahead.

I prefer not to look at it as either situations, but rather at both - and not for my own life, but in the lives of others.

When I'm at home, work, school, in the car, wherever - and it starts to rain, I get excited. There is probably a psychological explanation for this - something along the lines of feeling protected from the elements by the things that are around me. But that's for me.

There is another kind of excitement I feel in the rain...it's when I take that feeling...that sense of protection...and I go for a walk in it. With my umbrella in hand, and cares left inside, I leave it all behind to take a stroll through the very thing that is the source of the paradoxical feeling it creates. Were it not to rain, I would not feel the protection of the umbrella.

I take a stroll through the very thing that, in some, invokes a sense of goodness, while in others a sense of darkness. I look to the rain, simultaneously thanking God for bringing it, and scoffing at the clouds for it's pathetic attempt to bring me down. The rain does not depress me - gray skies do not dissuade me from enjoying my day - claps of thunder and flashes of lightening only grab my attention with anticipation for what is to come.

I enjoy the rain for another reason though - there is a spiritual significance that the rain has. In life, when storms and rain befalls you - it always seems like there is no worse thing that can possibly be happening. But what always happens on the other side of the storm? There is always new life, rebirth, cleansing, and a promise from God that He will see you through what ever troubles lie ahead. In life, I do not worry about the piddly storms that pop up - I greet them with a "Hello. I will be with you shortly..." and continue on my way. I know that in time, all things will be solved in the manner they should be, and that there is always something better waiting on the other side of the storm for me.

The rain falls all around you, and your only protection from it is your umbrella. In the middle of your troubles, your only protection is to step back into God's plan for your life. If you find that you're in the middle of a storm that suddenly crept up on you, then it's probably because you stepped out from God's protection. You wouldn't be getting wet if you had stayed under the umbrella, now would you?

It is this kind of significance that draws me to take a walk with someone that I choose to get close to, through the rain. I want to see how they react to a little water splashing on them - a little trouble in their life. Do they go with the flow, or do they concern themselves with staying protected and dry? Will they freak out when a storm hits them, and break down; or do they calmly remember where the protection is they need, and change direction to help get them through the storm? Do they see the positive in life, or focus solely on the moment...on the negative?

It is for this reason I ask you..."would you like to take a walk?"