Singin' & Playin' in the Rain Like Pirates

Yesterday the girls and I were "Singin' in The Rain" (one of their favorite musicals) and pretending we were pirates (one of my Dad's favorite past lifetimes :-) - just kidding

- I have no idea how many lifetimes we have, only that we have THIS one, or at least SEEM to......(twilight zone theme playing now). Whatever the "truth" is, and it may be different for different people, I do know the size of your world is the size of your heart and mind. I like living in a BIG world, and before I judge people and beliefs I don't understand, I take the time to form an intelligent opinion.

And the more intelligent I become, the more understanding and patience I also seem to be.

But when I woke up this morning, I was hearing a poem in my head called, "Rain, Rain, Go Away?"; one I had written for my son last year at this time.

He's not with me this weekend, but my love for him still is. He wanted to spend the weekend with his friends. So in honor of his great playful spirit, I'm reposting his poem along with pictures from yesterday.

"Rain, rain, go away.
Come again another day;
Little Johnny wants to play."


AND SO DOES BROSDEN!*


So to the door
And out in the rain!
We don't know
When this chance will come again.

Hurry Dad,
grab your sword!
There's pirates to fight,
and their ship to board.

Grab that spear.
Into the downpour!
We live in the wild
Hunting the dinosaur.

Let's get a ball
We can bounce off our heads,
Or lay in the puddles
In our own water beds.

It doesn't matter
what we do or be;
As long as I'm in the rain
And you're with me.

- Adam Stuart (August, 2006)

"It's raining!" cried Brosden earlier this afternoon, as he dropped everything and sped to the door. I got the idea for this poem while reading Mother Goose rhymes to Brosden's sister, Sofia, later in the day, and coming across "Rain, Rain, Go Away". After finishing the entire book and reading her favorite, "Georgie Porgie, Pudding and Pie, Kissed the Girls and Made Them Cry"* a dozen more (I am in so much trouble with this one) I hurried to the computer to write "Rain, Rain, Go Away?".

I think this is a testimony to the beauty and freedom, and even power of the untamed yet wise spirit of a child. We learn to seek shelter from the joy and cleansing teachings of the rain instead of experiencing the happiness and growth that can come from it.

When the rain clouds in our lives pour down criticism on us, what if we tilted our heads back and opened our arms wide to let in any truth behind the stormy words, and grow from it?

When dark clouds constantly doubt and question us, why not let their "rain" wash off our backs and wash away our insecurities, helping us realize we don't need them anymore in our lives, and they'll soon be moving on?

When we hear the thunder of negativity and verbal abuse, why not think of a child playing in the rain, and realize our spirits are as free as we are brave and courageous enough to let them be? We know our own truth, and people either believe in us and our dreams or don't; they either want to build us up with liquid sunshine or try to tear us down with their thunder and lightening.

So when you find someone who does believe in you and wants to help you Dream and Do Big*, take their hand and play in the rain. It's the essence of life and the meaning of humanity. When those who just want to rain on you with constant doubt,disrespect, dishonesty, etc and try to tear you down, don't run for shelter, but stand strong, smile wide, and know their "rain" can't hurt you and they will soon dry up and be gone.

Being "in the rain" is nothing to be afraid of. Being afraid of the rain is. It can awaken you as you feel it on your face, intoxicate you as it falls on your tongue, exhilerate you as it soakes through your clothes, and stimulate you to open your eyes and see a new, better, and happier world.


Watching you son
As you play in the rain
You remind me just
Of what I used to be

I teach you
But you also teach me
Your free and untamed spirit*
Is what I can still be


- Adam Stuart (August, 2006)