Walking in the rain with the one I love

Yesterday was Bermuda day. The day my little Island comes together to celebrate what it means to be in Bermuda. When the Island comes together to watch the half marathon which attracts people from all walks of life, races, nationalities, cultures and ages. And this year was a huge success with over 800 people taking part. There are fitted dinghy races and the Bermuda Day Parade – when Front Street is closed down to traffic and floats, dancers and others take to the streets to celebrate. A day when there is something for everyone.

I woke up yesterday morning with the intention of going with my family to watch the runners. None of my family was interested in going. So I decided to use going to the race as my exercise for the day. I walked down to Crow Lane. Standing with friends  I had not seen for a while. Surrounded by a multitude of people that matched the runners – people of different ages, races, nationalities, and cultures. All gathered in the spirit of cheering on the runners. Starting the day off with joy.

I soaked in the positive energy that everyone was exuding. Looking at the faces of everyone and seeing the pure joy, happiness and anticipation on their faces. Feeling that everyone had let go of all their trails, tribulations, worries, fears and apprehensions to be in the moment. To lend support to those who had chosen to run. Feeling the energy of the crowd transferring from one person to the other building on the joy. Knowing that we are all capable of experiencing joy in our lives when we shift our energy. When we focus on the good rather than the bad. When we support rather than take away.

After watching the runners come through, I started my walk back home. Full of love and joy. As I walked I felt little sprinkles tickling my body. I watched as the day became darker by the minute as black and heavy rain clouds took over the sky. As I walked further away from the crowd, the heavens opened and the rain came down in buckets. Pelting me furiously. Relentlessly.

Within seconds I was soaked to the skin. There was nothing I could do to change the situation. Nowhere to hide from the rain. So I decided to just go with it. And then the worry I had initially about getting wet, about ruining my hair, about being splashed vanished and was replaced with a euphoria that I can’t explain.

I started singing, “Walking in the rain with the one I love. Feels so fine.” I listened to the pounding rain all around me. The splashing of vehicles as they went by.  The sound of my voice singing. And then I stopped thinking why in the world am I singing about walking in the rain with the one I love when I am on my own. But the song kept coming back to me. Haunting me. Filling me with pure joy.

And then as the rain came down even harder. As my vision became obscured. As cars drove by and splashed me from head to toe, suddenly I knew and understood why. I was in fact walking in the rain with the one I love. I was walking with myself. My whole self. Taking in the rain. Feeling it filling my soul. The tanks of all those Bermudians who had prayed for rain. Filling my heart.

And then the rain and I became one as I expressed my gratitude to it for reminding me that even on the darkest and dreariest days, there is always sunshine. There is always joy. There is always someone to love. Because I am love. And I am always where I am meant to be.

When I walked up the stairs to my house, my front door opened. And there standing waiting for me was my family. My children and husband  looking at me with both concern and amusement. My husband handing me a towel. All of us laughing at the state I was in.

I stepped out of my wet clothes. Out of the wet outside. Bringing with me the joy and love I had experienced in the rain to my family as I wrapped myself in the towel. Closing the door to the outside and the rain.  But bringing the lesson with me to my family. Feeling totally and wholly loved and satisfied. Full of joy. 

What a wonderful Bermuda day.