Find Beauty In the Rain

Hello everyone!! Lately I've been talking to a few of my friends about some of the trials in their lives, and lately, I've been hit with a few seeds of inspiration I would like to share with you. So today I would like to talk about rain. Rain, it's beautiful isn't it. Yet it has so much control over what we do and how we feel. So first lets discuss what rain is. The first definition in the dictionary we find is, "Water that is condensed from the aqueous vapor in the atmosphere and falls to the earth in drops more than .5 millimeters." Then we come upon another definition. Rain: a heavy continuous descent or inflicting of anything. Maybe, sometimes the rain we feel, isn't condensed water that falls to the earth in little droplets. Maybe the rain we feel is the little drops of regret, the little problems we face. They can start drop by drop. Little things that hit us. But soon a storm is upon us, and the drops of rain are falling down in sheets. So today I'd like to talk to you, about finding beauty in the rainstorms we face in our lives.
First, I have a story I'd like to share with you. A few years ago, I took a few voice lessons. My teacher would have a new song for me every week. At some point she gave me a song. While singing it, I realized that the song had a beautiful meaning to it. I do not remember who composed the song, but the title was April Showers. Here is the first verse. Life is not a highway strewn with flowers, still it holds a goodly share of bliss, when the sun gives way to April showers, here's a thought that you should never miss: Though April showers, may come your way, they bring the flowers, that bloom in May... and where you see clouds upon the hill, you soon will see crowds of daffodils. So keep on looking for a bluebird and listening for his song, whenever April showers come along. Now allow me to translate. Life is not perfect, yet it still holds some happiness, when things go wrong always remember that when trials happen, they bring gratefulness and happiness afterwards. Where you see trials happening in your life, remember soon, good things will come. So keep look at your blessings and the good when those bad things happen to you, because everything will turn out okay. Our storms are just a sign of good things to come if we bear out the storm with patience. In fact, as Vivian Green says, "Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain." Learn to love what those little showers can give you.
Second of all, I have one more analogy I'd like to share with you. Trees start as seeds, and those seeds need water and nourishment to grow and survive. Without those rain showers, those trees would never be able to grow and progress. They couldn't become strong without the wind threatening to tear them from the soil they call home. Just like these trees, we cannot survive without our trials and pain. Our trials shape us and refine us. Again this brings to my mind another song by Katherine Nelson. And again, here is the first verse. Sometimes He lets it rain, He lets the fierce winds blow, Sometimes it takes a storm, To lead a heart where it can grow, He can move mountains of grief, And oceans of pain, But sometimes he lets it rain. We are meant to have those storm clouds in our lives. Without them, we wouldn't be able to become who we are today, or who we want to be.

So next time you see the rain falling down, remember that rain can also wash away the pain and the hurt we feel. Find beauty in the rain. Let it wash down your face as you remember that after a rainstorm comes the rainbow.