It’s funny where you find inspiration sometimes.
I mean, you could be sitting anywhere doing anything and suddenly – bam! – it hits you.
Inspiration is like the wind. It can be there one minute and gone the next. It can come out of nowhere and blow you off your feet, and the most frustrating thing about it is that you really have no control over it at all. You cannot force yourself to be inspired. Inspiration comes to us in fractured moments, and those moments can be life-changing if you catch them.
Today I was sitting waiting for a train. The sun was shining, the sky was blue, there were a lot of wonderfully white fluffy clouds floating way up high. I sat down on the platform and took out my book to write down some thoughts, and all of a sudden I felt a raindrop hit my face. Another one hit the page on which I was writing, turning the clear words into puddles of ink. With each unexpected drop, the once clear letters on the page began to melt into the next and – bam! – it hit me, a profound thought: isn’t this just so typical of life. The rain can come unexpectedly at any time, regardless of how much sun may be shining.
I am constantly reminded of how quickly life can change, and there are millions of people around the world finding out this very truth in the hardest of ways. Sometimes the rain can be a consequence of a bad choice, but most of the time, the rain just comes out of the blue.
Here are some lessons you can learn from those rainy seasons:
- It helps you appreciate the sun
I make an effort every morning and every evening to tell my loved ones that I love them. No matter what happens between dusk and dawn – it is irrelevant.
Never leave home without telling your wife, husband, children, mom, dad, brother, or sister that you love them, and never go to bed with unfinished business left on the table. You see, you never know what the day or the night holds and tomorrow might never come for either you or your loved one. Let the thought of rain leave you in a perpetual state of gratitude.
- It makes you look for cover
Sometimes in life, when the rain comes, people act like they don’t need an umbrella.
People prefer to keep their problems a secret. They don’t want others to know that their ink is melting. They lie, not only to others, but to themselves. They want to be seen as strong and together, but that stress alone can cause even more of a rainstorm. The truth is, no one wants to be drenched and wet, yet so many of us run around without an umbrella. The most important thing to do when it begins to rain is to find cover. That cover can be the support of a good friend or your loved ones or anyone you trust. Just do not try to deal with your issues alone, or the rain will leave you soaked and feeling cold (which is never a great feeling).
- It can wash away dirt
I remember the day my wife and I lost our baby. Before that rainstorm, there were some major problems plaguing myself and my family as a unit. There were issues between other family members and us also and things just seemed hopeless. After the rain, I found a new person inside of myself. I found a strength in myself that made others take note. The rain brought not only a peace in me, but also between me, my wife, and my children. I also noticed a revival in our external family relationships. All these issues were put aside and replaced by love and understanding and a newfound appreciation of life and family.
I believe that the rain can wash away dirt and give you a good slap to wake you up to what is important and to help you see all that you have to be grateful for.
- It gives you the opportunity to learn and grow
Often it takes a major rainstorm to wake us up. It’s unfortunately true. You see, we get so caught up in life that we end up taking everything for granted. We forget what’s important and we just keep going with the flow until we lose perspective of what we are, who we are, and what we are doing.
Luckily for us, these rainstorms are the opportunity we often need to re-evaluate ourselves, our lives, and our priorities; to gather our thoughts, and make the necessary changes. This growth that happens after a rainstorm is usually a deep-rooted growth. The one or two life-changing moments that each of us gets in this existence. Don’t waste it.
The rain will come whether you like it or not but the good news is that the rain will stop and the water will dry up eventually.
For me as a Christian, I often wonder how people get through the tough things that this life throws at them without belief in a God who has everything under control. I know I would not have survived most of my experiences without my faith. If you want to know more about faith, please click below. We would love to help you on your journey.