Singing in the Rain

“I’m singing in the rain,
Just singing in the rain…
What a glorious feeling,
I’m happy again…”

I was listening to that song today, the refreshing new version of Jamie Cullum. And I thought, what a happy melody, appropriate for these rainy times. There’s supposed to be a storm causing it, but the rain is not the hint of a storm at all as it is quite pleasant, very light, and the raindrops a slow and joyful trickle.

This is the rain I like, the type I won’t mind going out into. Playing in the rain as a child in Dagupan is always the best memory, but growing up, I have discovered that rain is next best in Baguio as the lovely drizzles, combined with the pine scents and scenes, and cool mountain air are just a peaceful experience. I think this perfect experience can be had while inside John Hay among it’s mighty pines at the walking trail, or wherever else in Baguio you may still find a profusion of pine trees and quiet.

I’ve had other memorable experiences in the rain, like the surreal time I had walking, shirtless, near the beach in Rio de Janeiro, with this really heavy rain – not unwelcomely so, because to me it felt like all of life’s blessings raining down on me, and I couldn’t help but be grateful. Surreal because, how many times can you earn the right to casually tell a friend “Oh, by the way, I walked in the rain today along Copacabana”? :)

Having met rain many times in climbing up mountains I have realized that the mountain too is a great place to be caught in it. Admittedly you have to be careful about flashfloods, but absent that threat, rain is more wonderful an adventure the further above sea level you are. Thankfully I have not been once caught in a storm while in a mountain, but there was always rain, and they were especially pleasant and welcome, as they freshened us up from the heat and sweat of an arduous climb.

Mountain rain seems to have a character of their own. I remember how my friend Jeosen eloquently described the “light rain” we had when we went to Mt. Tayak in Laguna more than 2 years ago. She said: “I call it "light rain" because it was a little like "ambon" but the weather was sunny, and you could see the droplets actually floating down to earth, rather than falling. And when it touched you, it was like a soft sweet kiss rather than a cold wet droplet of water. That "light rain" is the most beautiful rain I've ever seen in my life.”

If you hadn’t done so in a while, go out in the rain today --- and claim that soft sweet kiss. :)