Let the rain come...

Today was hot, steamy and muggy. It was hot. Did I mention it was hot today? Well it was. Damn hot.

I HATE North Carolina in August. Miserable, hot, muggy, buggy, hot.

Lily and I set off for our workout this morning. We arrived at the park, got out of the car, and I nearly decided to just kick off my sneakers, climb back into the A/C and go get ice cream.

But I didn't. I pushed through. Go me.

Anywhooo...I digress.

We finished our workout JUST as giant stormclouds amassed above us. We set off for the park shelter to stretch and do abs, and halfway through, the heavens opened. Lemme tell ya, this was no sprinkle people...it was a deluge. Rain fell, hard and fast, as we all huddled up with strollers and babies. We tried like heck to all get under the shelter, cramming our strollers and kiddos in like sardines.

Then something quite beautiful happened.

One by one, the bigger kiddos dashed off to dance, run, splash and scream in the rain.

And their mommies let them.

To anybody's eye, it was a simple thing- toddlers playing in the rain. Enjoying something somewhat forbidden with mommy's permission. Splashing in puddles, laughing. To mine, it was an expression of something foreign to me- childhood at it's most free.

I sat and watched, smiling. Lily tried to go out, but for the sake of her lil head, I kept her in. Poor thing, still so clumsy.

Then something even more beautiful. Rica and Emily, turning to each other, saying "Do you wanna go run in it?" and taking off at a mad dash, vaulting the picnic table and running into the gullywasher full speed. They danced, laughed, did cartwheels, did a belly bump, high fived, and danced some more.

Oh if I only had a camera. These two women, so down to earth, so lovely, so organized, so well, mom-like, dancing in the rain like kids. It was joyous to watch, and lifted my heart.

They came back soaked and laughing. Let me tell you something- supermodels at their best could not compare to how beautiful these two soaked to the skin mommy's looked after their "rain dance". The best part- they went right back out to dance some more- kids in tow. It was crazy, sweet, heartwarming, touching. It was the beauty of living in the moment, right in front of my eyes.

I started to think more as I was going home. This is what life hands us sometimes- the unexpected, the unwanted. The storm in our peaceful life. The cloud hovering, the threat of heavy weather. The illness of a loved one, the depression after a new baby, the disappointment of a divorce.

We watch the rain come down, and sometimes we damn the rain. Sometimes we simply do our best to get out of it, and shelter under something strong.

But then there are times when the rain is cleansing. When it is a joyous dance of heaven, when it is welcome, not only because it shows us we are alive, but because it washes us clean.

These are the times to dance in the rain. These are the times to lean your head back, laugh at the sky, and enjoy the moment.

Next time the rain comes, I will dance.