learning to dance in the rain | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Lifestyle

learning to dance in the rain

When life brings the storms, you have a choice to make.

165
learning to dance in the rain
Photo by Robb Leahy on Unsplash

I only attended summer camp once growing up. I must have been about 7 years old when I packed up my things and headed to Camp Cherokee for a week in July. I sang the songs, went on the hikes, laughed at the cookouts, and while I'm sure I have plenty of fond memories of my only ever week at summer camp, there is one that sticks with me to this day.

A tornado came. We had to evacuate our cabins, and I still remember the fear that filled the room, as we sat huddled in the night with rain and thunder pounding on the building we had fled to.

I don't know the exact words the camp counselor said to me, but I know that they have carried me through every storm since this one. She told me that there was nothing to be afraid of; and, since it was a Christian camp, she told me a story of how the thunder was Jesus playing the drums, and the lightning only an accessory to his grand parade.

Since that night all those years ago, I have found myself to be nearly fearless of the weather.

If awoken by a storm in the night, I allow the rain to softly lull me back to sleep, knowing that the thunder is not something to fear, but simply a part of nature, one that I have even grown to be fond of.

So, yesterday as I pulled off of Milledge Avenue and onto Highway 316, beginning the familiar drive from Athens to my hometown of Woodstock, Georgia, I felt a smile grow on my face as the clouds turned grey and gusts of wind blew through my open car windows.

What did I have to worry about? Hadn't I learned to dance in the rain?

I left my windows down--allowed the wind to swirl through my hair and the rain fall on my skin, feeling happy that I had learned to find joy in something that so many feared.

As I continued down the road, it hit me. This was the most obvious metaphor ever.

What else is life, if not learning to dance in the rain?

Nobody ever said life was going to be easy, and they certainly didn't say it was going to be fair. Hardships will come, and they will pass, and I've learned that no amount of planning, hoping, or praying will make the hard times stay away.

So, when life brings the storms, you have a choice to make. It's the same choice you make every morning when you wake up and look yourself in the mirror.

You can lay down, you can quit. You can yell and scream and curse the sky for its relentless downpours. You can let the storms make you bitter. You can hide under a cheap umbrella with a hole in it that you found in your neighbor's yard.

Or, you can dance.

You can sing. You can skip and yell and swing around until you can't see straight. You can fight the good fight. You can embrace the rain, and know that sunny skies are on the way, even if this is the seventh storm this month and you can't even remember what the sky looks like when it isn't grey.

You can laugh. You can love. You can become a better person. You can build bridges and move mountains. You can find joy. You can find peace.

And you can do it in the rain.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

196672
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

18713
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

Power of Love Letters

I don't think I say it enough...

460770
Illistrated image of a letter with 2 red hearts
StableDiffusion

To My Loving Boyfriend,

  • Thank you for all that you do for me
  • Thank you for working through disagreements with me
  • Thank you for always supporting me
  • I appreciate you more than words can express
  • You have helped me grow and become a better person
  • I can't wait to see where life takes us next
  • I promise to cherish every moment with you
  • Thank you for being my best friend and confidante
  • I love you and everything you do

To start off, here's something I don't say nearly enough: thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You do so much for me that I can't even put into words how much I appreciate everything you do - and have done - for me over the course of our relationship so far. While every couple has their fair share of tiffs and disagreements, thank you for getting through all of them with me and making us a better couple at the other end. With any argument, we don't just throw in the towel and say we're done, but we work towards a solution that puts us in a greater place each day. Thank you for always working with me and never giving up on us.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Signs You Grew Up In Hauppauge, NY

Because no one ever really leaves.

28249
Map of Hauppauge, New York
Google

Ah, yes, good old Hauppauge. We are that town in the dead center of Long Island that barely anyone knows how to pronounce unless they're from the town itself or live in a nearby area. Hauppauge is home to people of all kinds. We always have new families joining the community but honestly, the majority of the town is filled with people who never leave (high school alumni) and elders who have raised their kids here. Around the town, there are some just some landmarks and places that only the people of Hauppauge will ever understand the importance or even the annoyance of.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments