There was nary a word of disappointment spoken in the valley when the skies darkened, thunder roared, and raindrops fell this past week. Except for the ever-present worry of lightning strikes causing fire, the cooldown and soaking were most welcome.
Rain, like sunshine, is one of those natural mood influencers. In our present state of facing drought conditions, any moisture that the heavens let loose brings a feeling of joyful relief. The Twisp Farmers Market was pelted by the downpour on Saturday (Aug. 29), but the chatter indicated that no one was complaining.
Too much rain at once or rain lasting for days can certainly elicit feelings of sadness, loneliness, or depression or fear of flood or landslide. Truly, rain rarely leaves one emotionally neutral.
Raindrops pelted the Freestone Inn swimming pool during the welcome rainstorm last week.
A deeper dive into the emotional effects reveals what I know to be true: Rain is profoundly connected to memory. If not rain itself, a song connected to rain.
Once on a teenage 20-mile bike ride, my friend and I were caught in a Montana thunderstorm. Out in the countryside, we found a dry place in the loft of an old barn where we sang the Lovin’ Spoonful song, “You and me and rain on the roof/Caught up in a summer shower … Maybe we’ll be caught for hours.” A memory that has stayed with me all through the years.
“Rhythm of the Rain” by the Cascades, recorded in 1962, was a piano piece that I could play without error. I still have the sheet music and can recall every word of the song.
A troubled friend facing a life-determining course once described his dilemma by singing B.J. Thomas’s “Raindrops Keep Falling on my Head.”
“Rainy Days and Mondays,” by the Carpenters, still brings back melancholy memories.
Many a rainy-day commute to Seattle from Olympia was a cause for anxiety driving in the pelting wetness with all the other fools driving north on I-5. Once arriving at the office dripping wet after sloshing through puddles while dancing around the umbrellas of other rainy-day workers, the receptionist would give me one look and say in her southern way, “Gurrrl!”
While it is true that plodding through rain to get to work is not usually a pleasant experience, it is paradoxical that the sound of rain is one of the most common sounds used for relaxation as evidenced by sound machines that invariably include the sound of rain.
Even though our recent rain most likely will leave us with little reprieve from the dryness, still it was refreshing. And, like the Wicked Witch of the West in “The Wizard of Oz” whose enemy was water for fear of melting, Smoke cowered and took leave when the rains came. For that, we are all grateful.
Completely off topic, but I would feel remiss if I did not mention the loss of Dolly Parton, an exemplar of kindness, goodness, and generosity. Her music has long been a mainstay in the soundtrack of my life. RIP, Dolly. You will forever be remembered for your pure heart.
