Leaky Rain boots and Rain

This isn't me but I wish it was...because who doesn't want to be completely soaked in rain??

There are moments in life when you have epiphanies. You realize that not everything is quite right with the world. Hearts get broken, people are unhappy, laughter gets scarce. Sometimes life just feels wrong. Like you are almost "there" but something is missing. And you don't what or where "there" is, but you are longing for it? But then, you also realize that it is okay. Life is okay, and you move on the best you can. Your life isn't always carefree and joyful, but it also isn't always incomplete.

I once had a pair of rain boots. They were adorned with bright squares of color and I loved them. With them I was free! (aaah so much cheese:) 

Free to play in the rain...

Free to splash in puddles...

Free to test out the waters of a storm...

They were like a buffer zone, a safety net from the cold wetness of stagnant water. 

Rain boots are an iconic symbol, at least to me. They represent a childlike view on life. I mean when the rain comes and everything gets dark what do most people do? They go inside. And It makes sense, why get your feet wet and muddy when can curl up on your window seat and read a good book with some cozy hot chocolate?

But NO! With rain boots, you don't have to worry about the wetness. In fact, you can completely and totally embrace it. The rain boots are your armor, and as you race toward that puddle you know that without a doubt you can jump and you won't get wet. 

I jumped so many times with those boots. But then one day after I jumped I felt a cold wetness seeping through that I had never felt before. I was horrified. With dismay I lifted up my boot and saw the perpetrator. My rain boot had slice on the side of it. The kind you don't notice until it is too late and your feet are already wet. I was so heartbroken. I honestly felt betrayed that my rain boots had allowed my feet to get wet.

Hmm, wet. As I am writing this I am wondering why I am making wet out to be such a negative word. Oh no, she is becoming self-aware! But really though, who even decided that becoming "wet"/rain/thunder clouds/ was equal to pain and sadness and affliction? You know what? I won't stand for it, I WILL NOT!

Ok, take two: Sometimes, life is hard and you become sad. You feel stuck, and that is okay. I don't think many people understand that feeling that way is okay. There is a process, and when people try to skip that process all the pain, regret, bitterness, and inability to move forward shows itself. How do I know this? Just trust me, personal experiences have made this concept crystal clear to me. But once all the "bleh" stuff is all worked out and felt and forgotten, there is a growing capacity for you to feel everything, more than you did before.

So, try it. Go play in the rain without your rain boots.