Here Comes That Rainy Day Feeling Again

The title certainly seems appropriate right now. Here in Lethbridge, Alberta, the rain is pounding down right now. There's a little bit of thunder and lightning, too, but not enough to make it interesting. Let's face it, if you're going to have a storm, you might as well have a good one. Not damaging, but with some noise and light.

Here I am, a baby boomer at 50, and I still love a good thunder storm. I don't know why, but if I go to bed to the sound of rain and thunder, I'm out in a flash and sleeping a deep and restful sleep. Perhaps a psychiatrist would say Mom's tummy must have rumbled a lot when I was in the womb. I don't know about that but it sure is relaxing.

I'm waiting for a web conference to start so I thought I'd take a moment to write a quick post. I'm likely writing for myself as I suspect there aren't very many people reading the blog just now. But that's OK. Readership will grow.

Not many people in southern Alberta share my appreciation for the rain. Oh, the farmers will be happy for awhile . . . unless we get too much. But that's not the kind of appreciation I'm thinking about. Most people here love the sunshine and Lethbridge does get a lot of it. I like the sun, too, but there's something about an overcast or even rainy day that is special. Maybe that's one reason I'm attracted to the West (Wet) Coast in Canada. I do have a friend at work who seems to share my appreciation. Others just think we're weird.

Like rain, there are so many things we must face in life that people do not appreciate. Thinking about the people I know, this can include certain forms of animal life, everything from spiders to birds. It can focus on weather, work, the past, present and future. So many things that can bother us. One of the biggies is other people. I know because I speak from experience. Following my stress leave and what I like to call my spiritual reawakening, I have come to believe that I need to appreciate things more.

My spiritual beliefs are centred on the teachings of Unity Church. If you want to know more about that side of my life, please check out some earlier posts. But my understanding and acceptance of God is very much in line with Unity and some other New Thought teachings. Boiled down to its essence, I guess you could say I do not believe God is separate from us. God is not an individual spiritual being who lives in the clouds and waits for the End of Days to judge us and determine our eternal fate.

God is one with the universe and we are one with God. The spark of divine is found within every person and the earth itself. I find wonder in this belief. And through that wonder, a growing appreciation of all things. Oh, I'm not a saint. Hardly. I get frustrated by people. Let a mosquito land on me and it's dead. Lots of things still vex my spirit.

But I'm growing.

Appreciation for all things continues to blossom within. A deep, cleansing breath and silent meditation goes a long way to strengthening that appreciation. But please don't think less of me if I allow myself to get angry or upset. I am a spiritual being experiencing a physical life. It takes some getting used to.

So do overcast skies and rainy days. But they're worth it.