by Jeanne Hambleton © 2007
NFA Leader Against Pain-Advocate
I well remember how much I enjoyed Gene Kelly’s performance in the film “Singing in the Rain”. It made me feel so good, in spite of the bad weather, and between us, I really felt like being silly, running outside in the rain and singing my head off. But as my dear late Dad would have said, “Here’s a penny. Go in the next street!” That does not say much for my voice but the thought was there.
It is odd but these days you seldom hear children singing while playing. Do they still teach singing in school – all those pomp and circumstance songs like ‘Jerusalem’, ‘Land of Hope and Glory’ to name but two? Most children seem to know, ‘You’ll never walk alone’, but I guess that is down to the football fans. I seem to think we were encouraged to sing to get some fresh air in our lungs. I even remember doing breathing exercises at school – that must have been when Adam was a lad!
It also seems as if most children do not want to play in the rain and hate to get wet. What happy childhood memories come back when you see a picture of a young child in a hooded raincoat with wellies splashing in big puddles and giggling? I would think Health & Safety and the PC (Politically Correct) Brigade would have something to say about that these days – too dangerous – the child will slip over and hurt itself.
All this talk about singing and dancing in the rain brings me nicely to a little story, which I hope you will enjoy. To be truthful I am hoping to start an epidemic of people singing and dancing in the rain and getting them washed while they are at it. We could change the words, “I’m singing and washing in the rain”. Read on and you will understand where I am coming from. Regrettably I cannot remember which fibromite sent it to me – fibro fog – but thanks.
IT’S RAINING
A little girl had been shopping with her Mom in Zellers. She must have been 6 years old, this beautiful red haired, freckle faced image of innocence. It was pouring with rain outside the store. It was the kind of rain that gushes over the top of rain gutters, so much in a hurry to hit the earth it has no time to flow down the spout. We all stood there under the awning and just outside the door of Zellers.
We waited, some patiently, others irritated because it messed up their hurried day. I am always mesmerized by rainfall. I got lost in the sound and sight of the heavens washing away the dirt and dust of the world. Memories of running, splashing so carefree as a child came pouring in as a welcome reprieve from the worries of my day.
The little voice was so sweet as it broke the hypnotic trance we were all caught in.
“Mom, let’s run through the rain,” she said.
”What?” Mom asked.
“Lets run through the rain!” she repeated.
“No, Honey. We’ll wait until it slows down a bit,” Mom replied.
This young child waited about another minute and repeated: “Mom, let’s run through the rain,”
“We’ll get soaked if we do,” Mom said.
“No, we won’t, Mom. That’s not what you said this morning,” the young girl said as she tugged at her Mom’s arm.
“This morning? When did I say we could run through the rain and not get wet?”
“Don’t you remember? When you were talking to Daddy about his cancer, you said, ‘If God can get us through this, He can get us through anything!’”
The entire crowd stopped dead silent. I swear you couldn’t hear anything but the rain. We all stood silently. No one came or left in the next few moments.
Mom paused and thought for a moment about what she would say. Now some would laugh it off and scold the child for being silly. Some might even ignore what was said. But this was a moment of affirmation in a young child’s life: a time when innocent trust can be nurtured so that it will bloom into faith.
“Honey, you are absolutely right. Let’s run through the rain. If GOD lets us get wet, well maybe we just needed washing,” Mom said.
Then off they ran. We all stood watching, smiling and laughing as they darted past the cars and, yes, through the puddles. They held their shopping bags over their heads just in case. They got soaked. But they were followed by a few who screamed and laughed like children all the way to their cars.
And, yes, I did. I ran. I got wet. I needed washing.
Circumstances or people can take away your material possessions. They can take away your money, and they can also take away your health. But no one can ever take away your precious memories. So, don’t forget to make time and take the opportunities to make memories everyday.
“To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.” Ecclesiastes 3:1
I hope you still take the time to run through the rain. They say it takes a minute to find a special person, an hour to appreciate them, a day to love them, but then an entire life to forget them. Share this story with the people you’ll never forget. It’s a short message and it will let them know that you’ll never forget them.
If you don’t tell anyone, it means you’re in a hurry. A pity! Take the time to live!!!
Keep in touch with your friends. You never know when you’ll need each other or you no longer can keep in touch – and don’t forget to run in the rain!
