Yesterday I walked home from my morning yoga class in pouring rain. And no, I did not have an umbrella or a rain jacket. Because when I left home in the dark of the morning, I did not see the clouds, or check the weather before leaving home. Trusting that it would be like any other day, I just left home. 

But it wasn’t like the past few weeks- consistently dry. And it just poured. I am happy that our parched soil got a good drink. But the fast walk, intermingled with spots of jogging, home was an interesting experience.

I started the walk with feeling sorry for myself. I couldn’t have waited at the yoga studio for the rain to blow away because it was a school day, and so I needed to be home to get breakfast ready, and send my son off. Having no choice makes one feel sorry for themselves. And I quickly recognized that emotion, and decided to do better.

I thought of all the positives about the situation. It was not cold. It was just rain. I was only going home where I would quickly dry up and change my clothes. It made for an interesting morning. I wasn’t wearing anything that would get ruined in the rain- I would just have to dry my stuff.

Having recognized all these positives, I realized that rain on my skin is actually refreshing, and I love the tingle of the drops that remind me that I am alive, that I feel things…what a joy and privilege is that!

Then, in my mind I divided my walk home in three parts, so I could do a countdown…one third already done, and that was easy. Now two-thirds done- yay! Ooh, last three blocks remaining…and then the lightening brightened the sky! With the rumble not too far away after that! My steps certainly quicked after that…more like a jog! I started calculating where the open spaces were where I could meet lightening if it comes down, and stayed away from those. And do they say that a tree is a good place, or no? Or is it the really tall trees? Two more blocks to go. I want to run. But not too fast, because it sure is slippery. I hope my phone is ok…Oh look last block to go, I will enter my dry home soon- what joy! No more lightening so far thank god! I better dry up my yoga mat for tomorrow. And my shoes are all wet again- I just washed them and dried them crisp in the sun yesterday…oh well. Atleast I am almost home…were there’s coffee and breakfast to be had. Can any of the neighbours see me? What are they thinking? Not that I care. I am home!!

Yes, all of that went through my mind during this walk. I remember my thoughts so clearly, because nature has a way of making all our thoughts stay in the present with it’s intensity and (sometimes) ferocity. There is no other place for our minds to be but where are bodies are, feeling the feels of our environment. The mind-body connection is strong in that moment, and the monkey in our brains doesn’t stray far in its mind travels.

Soon after, I got home, got dried up and changed. No damage done. The morning became a little more interesting because of it. I changed my mindset from a negative one to a positive one, and stayed in the present. 

All good things.