Have You Ever Seen the Rain?

No, today's entry is not about the wonderful CCR song "Have you Ever Seen the Rain?" Even though I like it a lot. It instead poses the very important question: "Have you Ever Seen Someone Ridiculously Walk in the Rain?"

I say this because today I was walking out of Wal-Mart--to my not so ideal parking place--and it started raining pretty heavily. My once tall stature became that of Quasimodo [see below] as I began to avoid the rain's fury by remaining lower to the ground. Makes perfect sense right?



I held the grocery sacks close to my chest and clung to them like children I was protecting. Heaven forbid a water droplet touch my very important items. I walked in front of a car. Because it's raining. And that's a right of way all in itself. Plus, getting hit by a Yukon is far better than getting wet.

I look up for just a second and see an older lady stick an empty grocery sack on her hair. Always save the hair first. Always.

I got to thinking: We are funny people. Rain is just gushing over us and we pretend like we're doing all this heroic stuff to save ourselves. Because holding our umbrella until it hits our car door frame is so worth it. Regardless of what you do, you are soaked somewhere on your body. In my case, it is usually parts that umbrellas aren't big enough to handle. I'll let you decide what that is. Just don't let me become the butt of any jokes.

I was just as wet when I got to my car as I would have been had I held my head up high and marched slowly to my destination. But instead I chose to look like I had aged 50 years, mumbling to myself as I half-jog hunchbacked it to my Camry. When I was safe and sound, I uttered this wise gem: "It always rains when I don't need it to." And then I thought a minute: Is the rain for you, Ashton? Does God choose to nourish the Earth because you didn't feel like going to get eggs, milk and a 5-pack of underwear that day?

Lesson in this? For me, it's that we do everything in our power to avoid hurt, embarrassment and bad experiences. Rather than take the chance of that happening, we hunch over, stick our butts out, cling to our grocery sacks and pretend like we're making a difference. Hurt is inevitable. Disappointment often falls like precipitation in the middle of a parking lot. Some pray for rain while others beg it away. It's a part of life and happens to us all.

So take chances. Stand up tall. And fight to maintain your dignity through it all.

For your enjoyment, the CCR song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gu2pVPWGYMQ