Running in the Rain

Have you ever walked or run in the rain? Maybe you did in your childhood days or in your youth when it was romantic to walk in the rain with your heart throb, with the melody of "Just walking in the Rain" running in your mind or with you humming it.

I remember playing in the rain in my childhood days, making paper boats to float down the running water in the drain, sometimes walking in the drain too, just to feel the running water flowing round my legs even as the rain pelted down on my head. Getting wet was a great sensation, the rain a shower from the sky. Of course the result was a few strokes of the cane on my legs from my mother who scolded me for being a bad role model. The big sister should know better than to lead her younger brother and sister to romp in the rain. Each scolding and reminder of my role came with a whack of the cane. Ouch!!

Fast forward a decade or so. In my undergrad days, it was a slow walk in the slight afternoon drizzles as my room mate and I made our way back to our residential college after lectures. We walked in companionable silence. There was no need for talk. We just savored the feel of the fine droplets on our faces, musing....

Fast forward a few decades.... two days ago, after a prolonged period of oven-like afternoons, rain descended on us without warning. The skies just opened and the much longed-for showers came down, slaking the thirst of the grass on brown fields and road edges. It was all too short; just a burst of rain and it was over. The sun came out with a vengeance. I was waiting to fetch my grandchildren home. Since the sun was out, I didn't bother taking the umbrellas with me. I had my book which I usually read while waiting for the school bell to ring and for the children to come out.

Suddenly without warning, the skies opened again and the rain came down, pelting the overhead shelter, drumming out all conversation among the waiting parents.

Oh dear! My little darlings were going to get wet! I had no umbrella, no hat, nothing with which they could prent them from getting wet.

Then I thought again. Heck! What's wrong with a little rain? They've never experienced anything like walking in the rain. So be it! When they came out, I told them apologetically that I didn't have any umbrellas with me as the sun was shining when I parked the car. "Let's just make a run for it, ok?"

True sports like they are, they readily agreed and hand in hand we ran into the rain, out among the umbrellas, dodging them as we ran, school bags in tow. Luckily the rain wasn't torrential and we got to the car very quickly. It was such a good feeling, to clasp their little hands and feel the drops of rain running down my face as we ran together.

Once in the car, we belted in and head for home, as fast as the traffic allowed us, and the children had a hot bath. They were none the worse for the mild drenching and I would like to think they enjoyed that run as much as their grandma did. Rainy days make me feel good and relaxed and I much prefer rainy days to hot sunny ones.

Few people would remember this little song which we used to sing on a rainy morning in primary school.

Rain, rain, go away
Come again another day
Rain, rain go away
Little children want to play.

Thunder, oh so loud
Go and hide behind a cloud
Wind, wind, blow afar
Blow until you reach a star.

Does this song ring a bell for anyone out there?