Doing A Little Rain Dance

I overheard someone at work today say, "This bad weather puts me in such a bad mood!"

Before today I hadn't thought much about my adoration of rain, but after hearing that comment today I realized how much I love it.  This, of course, stems from my time spent in Ethiopia, where rain could change your entire day.

A heavy storm one night in Dangila, Ethiopia.

Rainy season (also known as muddy season) lasts approximately from June-September in Ethiopia. There are several months before the summer season arrives where you think every day, "Will it come today?" Prayers are sent to the heavens for a reprieve from the dust of the dry season.  The heat was torturous on some days, but mostly it was the dust and the dead plants that begged for rain to arrive.

And then one day it comes.  Within a week grass turns green and life seems vibrant once again. That quick change hit me like a ton of bricks during my first rainy season.  I was out of town for a mere moment and arrived back to a completely different scene.  Rain is life.

The green fertile countryside in Amhara, Ethiopia.

During the summer no schedule is set in stone. A downpour of rain is a viable excuse to not go outside, and therefore you never know what is going to happen when you wake up each day (or when you will return once you leave in the morning).  It could mean a meeting is cancelled and you get to stay in your pajamas a few more hours reading the rest of the Twilight series. Or it might mean you have to cancel your late afternoon movie program since you have no excuse to refuse the third round of a coffee ceremony, and stick around for the subsequent mundane ETV news broadcast.

You never know what cafe or shop you'll be walking by when the rain decides to strike.  Wherever that happens to be, get comfortable and ready to make friends because you may be there for a while.

The lovely green color that covers the rural area.

This was the daydream I had about rain today at work.  Rain was the unknown reason why I was in such a good mood today.  Last night as the downpour cooled the summer heat I noticed it was cooler outside than in for the first time since spring.  We opened the door and the fresh air rushed in to fill the house with its lovely rain smell.

You may curse the mud or the fact that you switched purses and forgot your umbrella, but you cannot deny that rain is life.  Falling asleep to the sound of rain on the roof, feeling the drops of rain on my face, and who can forget that lovely rainbow that follows; Rainy days are my favorite.