Growing up in Africa, children will always play in
the rain and parents will even indulge it from time to time because of the
happiness that children derive from these affairs. From the movies that I have
watched, bazungu parents can not let their children play in the rain because
they might catch a cold. Hmmph!
Imagine going through life without ever playing in
the rain. *Shudders*
I don’t know the exact moment when I fell in love
with rain; I simply began to look forward to rain and windy situations. I
actually have a rain clock (A rain clock refers to a situation where one awakes
the moment it begins to rain because one is in touch with their inner rain
self. Clearly, I made this up but that’s how I see it) and I happen to be a
drizzle feeler (A drizzle feeler is a person who feels the first drizzles that
fall significant minutes before there is evidence of any drizzles). I think
that about covers my relationship with rain.
I had a similar conversation with a friend and he
was quick to point out all those mornings when it is raining non stop and I end
up going late for work or getting there in a some what not too dry state. He
then followed that by stating what a nuisance rain can be when one does laundry
and has to keep taking out and bringing in the washing or worse have to wash
them again. I added onto his list by telling him about the time I almost died
from hunger because the food lady would not walk through the rain.
Believe it or not, I have woken up soaking wet
because my house flooded one rainy night. Do not ask me about my rain clock,
every theory has exceptions and no I do not live in Bwaise.
As devastating as the rain nuisances are and as
terrifying as the flooding incident was, I still love the rain. I can not point
out an exact memory of my childhood (I had a terrible memory while I was
younger that I ended up forgetting what my sister looked like later in life,
don’t ask. Needless to say calling that visitation day awkward is an
understatement) but I get good feeling vibes when I think about rain during my
former years. The kind of good feeling that makes you smile out of the blue as
you write a contact report, and I actively hate those things.
Granted I would prefer that it rained only when I
am indoors, mostly at night and if it must then weekend mornings are a
compromise however life is not about that life. LOL.
There is something very soothing about rain, even
when you get drenched or get splashed by a passing car never minding about the
little man. I ceased to try and understand it because this is not a rational
subject, I can almost see the emotions chilling out. I do have a theory though;
if one can let oneself to enjoy the rain even after all the not so good
encounters with it and the uncertainty around it, then one will be able find
happiness no matter what. In my opinion, happiness is the first step to a great
life. Enjoy the rain, be happy and have a great life; Pretty simple right?