Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Dancing In The Rain


As I made my morning rounds today reading the posts of some of my favorite blog friends, I came across one at Drunk With Barley that drew me back into years long past. That and the fact that we will be experiencing a warm spell today and have rain for most of the day. With this bit of inspiration, I thought I would take you on a journey down memory lane.
My childhood was a mix of good and bad memories. The bad ones I have spent most of my lifetime burying and trying to forget. While I was busy doing that, many of the good memories have been buried along with them. It really wasn't until I started creating web pages (1998) and more recently as a blogger that I began the process of trying to remember the really good things that were buried so deep in my memory. At first there was a great deal of fear that along with these good memories might come those bad ones that I would just as soon leave where they are. I am still a work in progress. How is that statement for a woman that will be celebrating her 59th year in a few months? I have learned to deal with all memories, good and bad alike, and have even come to a point in my life where I am able to celebrate the fact that what happened in my past is what has helped to mold me into the person that I am today.
Thoughts and visions of rain takes me back to a time when life was carefree. No real responsibilities other than the few chores that my mother gave me to do. I call them chores now, but they were treats to me then. The freshly washed and dried clothes. A Pepsi bottle filled with water with a cork shaker on the top that was used to sprinkle the clothes and ready them for ironing. It always made me wonder why my mother went to the trouble of drying the clothes just to get them wet again. I loved it though when I was given the job of sprinkling those clothes. As I turned the Pepsi bottle upside down and helped the water sprinkle on to the clothes it reminded me of rain.
I was in Heaven when we had summer rains without the thunder and lightening. Rains such as that found me outside barefoot and dancing in circles being soaked from head to toe. With head tilted back and looking toward the Heavenly sky filled with rain clouds, I delighted in the feeling of the wet drops of water falling on my face. Everything seemed heightened following the rain. The colors of nature were always brighter. The smells of nature were sweeter. Everything was cleaner and fresher than before the rain. As a child I was aware of these things. As an adult I have grown to appreciate them even more.
Of course I was never allowed to be out in the rain when there was thunder and lightening present, but I was still attracted to those rain storms just the same. I can recall the excitement that built up inside of me with the approach of such a storm. I still enjoy the feeling of the wind that precedes the rain, blowing my hair back and how it feels against my face. I am always amazed at how I can actually feel the moisture of the rain in the wind before the rain actually gets here. I have never been one to go and hide from the storms, just years of training from my mother to seek safety and watch from a distance. If only I had seen the parallel to that and life years ago.
As I said earlier, I celebrate 59 years of life this year. When you reach that milestone you start putting things in order, in your mind anyway. I wrote a post with my 'Bucket List' not long ago. One thing that I need to add to that list is I want to dance in the rain with my Dear Husband and also teach my grandchildren how to dance in the rain, but also to seek safety from the storms and watch from a distance.
Have a blessed day. A special thank you to David for sparking this memory for me.




9 comments:

Anonymous said...

I loved this post, my friend!
It sounds as if we had a similar childhood.

Just let the good memories surface and enjoy and view the bad ones while keeping your heart safe just like you do yourself during a storm.

I went to your Bucket list btw. I've seen Martina McBride and she is awesome. She is sooooo tiny but that great big voice comes out of her and will just give you goose bumps!

(((hugs))) to you today for writing an awesome post!

Mary said...

Jo,

This is an amazing post. I too have good and bad memories from childhood. I think we all do. However, I loved the way you likened the storms of nature with life. Yes we go through storms that only make us stronger. We climb mountains and trudge through valleys.

I like what Tammy said, "Just let the good memories surface and enjoy and view the bad ones while keeping your heart safe just like you do yourself during a storm."

Take care and may blessings rain down upon you.

Anonymous said...

Hi Jo, I like the wisdom of your post. Yes, it does take us a long time to let the bad memories fade but that enables the good ones to come forward. There are so many good ones, too.

I would like to compliment you on your photography, and the framing of your pictures. Do you use a photo editing program? I just got a mac. and I am starting from scratch with my photo's. I am slightly intimidated by Photoshop and would love to find an easier program.

Keep writing those words of wisdom!

Connie

Diane@Diane's Place said...

What a well written and inspiring post, Jo. I have some of the same memories, and I so remember the sprinkler with the cork stopper that we put in a Coke bottle and used to sprinkle our clothes before ironing!

Thank you for your prayers for my sister. She's still sick but a little better, I think.

Hope your week is going well, my friend. ;o)

Love and hugs,

Diane

Prixie said...

awww...what a beautiful post.

when it rains and i want to go and "play" in it, I get weird stares from my loved ones. They must thinkit is not appropiate for a 26 year old...but they can feck off...i think it is glorious.

and yes, pass it on to your grand children! it will be the best thing you can give them. seems like all young kids do nowadays is watch telly.

Unknown said...

An honor to have read this post, my dear friend. God bless. May there be many more like it.

Wishing the best to you and yours,

Dave.

BClark said...

Nice Post. I feel like we are on the same wave length at times. I had a professional tell me one time that I have shoved all the bad in a closet and one day it is going to burst out and bury me. Hopefully by the time it does that I will be able to handle it. Here's to dancing in the rain!!

Barbara

violetlady said...

Your delightful post certainly brought back some of my memories. Ah, yes, the sprinkler bottle. And while the rain was ending running outside to play in the rain filled gutters along the sidewalk.

Anonymous said...

Amazing photo.