Monday, June 15, 2009

Running in the Rain

Yesterday I experienced one of the largest downpours of my life. It is right up there with the monsoon rain I saw in India. The difference this time? I was the idiot running home...without an umbrella...in the hellish storm.

I was in Shibuya finishing off a day of shopping and getting my haircut when it started to rain. At that point pretty much everyone had their umbrella. If they forgot to bring it, they were waiting in line to buy one. I had to think to myself, if I bought an umbrella everytime it rained and I forgot mine, I would have at least 5 already AND I've only been here a little over 2 months. Cheap umbrellas cost $5, but why waste the money?

I'll get a little wet, I told myself, but it's not bad. And I chanced it.

When I got to my home station, it was raining harder. And it was pouring by the time I finished grocery shopping on the way home. So I ran.

It was a total rainstorm and I was soaked. It could have been absolutely awful, but I couldn't help but laugh. Hardly anyone was crazy enough to be out, but I could only imagine what the people driving by must have been thinking of me. I ran through puddles on the sidewalk. I literally soaked it all in...the rain and the experience.

I cannot remember the last time I stood in the rain without worrying about keeping my hair dry and appearance looking acceptable. Too often we get so caught up trying to act our age. And in the end all we end up missing out on are the simple pleasures of life. What else are we living for if its not for enjoying every minute of it?

By the time I got home, my jeans and shirt were sticking to my body. I wish I could have wrung my clothes out before going in, but instead I was forced the drip all the way to my room. Got some weird stares from my dorm-mates, but I just smiled back.

Everything is more fun when you can go with the flow and you're not afraid of laughing at yourself. Turn that frown upside down!

2 comments:

  1. I've had a couple days like this. By the time I get to my station it's always raining so hard, so i just have to run home as quickly as possible.

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