Rain.

80% of the time I'm not a fan of rain.  

I worked midnights quite a few years ago and it led to a vitamin D deficiency.  I was working at a hotel, a very nice hotel, full-time front desk midnight auditor.  It was my job to take care of the guests from 11 PM until 7 AM every night and run the daily paperwork.  For the most part I loved my job.  I like being of service to other people.  The idea of making others comfortable appeals to my nurturing side.  And it was that job that helped me believe that I am really good with numbers.  I always struggled with math in school.  It wasn't until I got out in the "real world" that I realized this. 

When I was about 13 or 14 I suffered from dyshidrotic eczema.  (Dyshidrotic means "bad sweating".  A term that doctor's don't believe now but it was seen as the reason years ago.  It's not contagious but is chronic and I know somehow my asthma plays a role in it.  At least that's what doctor's have told me.)  It started with my hands and feet and then my whole body erupted in small blisters.  We tried a million over-the-counter lotions to try to soothe my irritated skin and finally I had to be prescribed a strong steroid cream to get rid of them.  In my early 20's, while I was working at that hotel I broke out with them again. 

That time I visited a dermatologist whose practice is actually less than a mile away from my home now.  She's wonderful.  She let me know that I was allergic to the acrylic sweater that I had to wear at the hotel.  She informed me of the number of causes and triggers that can spur an eruption.  Environmental factors, severe emotional stress (needless to say- I'm one of the biggest worry warts you will ever meet), an allergic reaction to nickel or costume jewelry (bring on the real stuff!)  One of those was vitamin D.  Working midnights was ruining my health.  She actually prescribed me to go to a tanning bed to get high doses of UV rays that I was missing.  Now I know every winter I would benefit from visiting a tanning bed occasionally. 

So you're probably asking how this matches up with the rain.......

My body thrives in the sun.  I love flowy sundresses, a warm summer day, listening to old blues music, laying in a hammock reading, and sipping iced tea.  My perfect summer day.  Much like my "planties" I feel better with sunlight.  On sunny days I am much more productive.  I'm a meals cooked, laundry going, spring cleaning in progress, garden prepping maniac running around my house getting things done. 

Rainy days make me depressed.  I usually have a somewhat mini-meltdown on those days.  Those days dredge up bad memories.  They force me to think about things that I don't want to.  All I want to do is curl up and go to sleep on rainy days.  Hibernate until the sun comes back out. 

But there are some good qualities to the rain that I need to remember.  Sitting on my porch listening to the rain.  Summer rain replenishing the starved earth.  Warm water droplets soaking into scorched summer skin.

Plus the moments that make me think about the past.  I'm a firm believer that even out of the most negative things, positive is born.  Once those moments are addressed you can move past them and grow.  Sometimes I think that my most traumatic events are trivial.  Others have had it harder in some cases.  I think I may have debunked where this comes from but I need to save it for another day.  I appreciate honesty above all.  Even negative comments make you think.  Think about the possibilities.  Think about what you can do differently.  Think about compassion and where the other person is coming from.  They force you to grow. 

So that's what I'm thinking about today.  I'm filled with happiness and love at this moment.

PS.......... The sun came back out.