Dodging Puddles....

I had yet to step outside this morning but I had heard the winds blowing and I could also hear that the rain was pouring HARD. However I had no idea how very powerful the weather outside had become. But I had some errands to run and I thought I would simply bundle myself up, grab the BIG umbrella and venture forth.

I stepped outside and started to laugh. For years I had lived on the island of Kauai and this downpour reminded me of rain in the tropics.....hard, seemingly coming down sideways and pooling everywhere as the gutters filled with the autumn leaves that had yet to drop. But hey, it was only water so I opened the umbrella and started off on my journey.

As I stepped gingerly through the puddles I thought of all the times in the past when I had become upset at the rains somehow hindering my progress when I had had to walk around in it. But this morning I found myself actually enjoying the cleansing that was occurring. For that is what the rains signify to me - a cleansing, a washing away of the old to bring to the surface the new.

I turned the corner at the end of the block and immediately saw someone's umbrella turn completely inside out and blow down the street. The look on the face of the poor Being who was now standing in the middle of the street looking at her umbrella as it careened down the road was at first shocked and then she locked eyes with mine and we both started to laugh. I hurried over to her and covered her with my umbrella and there we stood, two strangers now protected by the rain under our cover of green and joined for that moment as one. I walked with her to the mall where she was going to go and purchase a new "cover" from the rain and continued on my way.

Everywhere I went I smiled. And with the smiles I noticed that while the weather had seemingly taken a turn for the worse, still, there were smiles on the faces of those that I connected with. Could that be it? Simply sending a smile to others during inclement weather could elicit more smiles. Is that what the cleansing signified? An opening to the Joy that can be experienced even in the midst of inclement weather........

I am choosing to belief this to be true. I send you blessings of infinite joy as you dodge the puddles that Life sometimes sends your way.

Namaste.