Thursday, September 23, 2010

365 Lessons-Lesson 266: Walk through the Pounding Rain

When the rain comes (rain being a metaphor for anything difficult) the tendency is to run for cover. Why not walk through the pounding rain? Why not walk out in the midst of it all exposed? What could happen to you? Maybe something unpredictable is in your cards; a turn of the tables, so to speak.

This morning at around 9am, my husband was eager to go walking. I looked outside at the clouds of doom and raindrops already starting to fall and all I wanted to do was curl up in a ball in my bedroom with warm, fuzzy socks on.

Instead, I threw my non-waterproof raincoat on (sin in Seattle) and headed out into the elements. In the car driving over the Ballard Bridge, the rain was coming down in sheets. This was not walking weather, yet we were on our way.

Once at the park, there was no turning back. We were hiking and that was it. The rain started to let up a little as we got to the beach. All the sudden, amongst the barnacles, broken clam shells, seaweed, and a mad circle of seagulls, I saw too little eyes peering up at me on the beach. I almost stepped on this tiny, little thing.


What was it? Could it be a baby Harbor seal? The mother had left it on the shore in search of food. The little guy looked scared. It made little squeaks at us. I knew not to touch it or move it. If the mother smells human hands on her baby, she will abandon it. I was worried, however, that the mother had forgotten where it was. It was so far up on the shore now.

A sudden break in the rain had revealed this angelic creature to my husband and me. I couldn't help but take it as a sign. Seals, as you may have read from earlier posts about my book writing adventure, have a important meaning to me.

I had to go out in the pouring rain to find this jewel. My jeans were now thoroughly soaked, but we kept walking. We were committed to the walk and no sleet, hail, lightening, thunder, or hurricane was going to stop us.

Lately, I've been a bit saddened. I haven't heard from several blogging friends who used to comment regularly on this blog. Where did they go? Are people still reading it or am I writing it just for me. Should I stop writing it? Should I put it aside? Do I have anything more to say? All these thoughts go through my head and then I remember one very important thing.

I've committed myself to this walk. Let the rains come, I'll continue on. When things get difficult or boring or monotonous or I feel like I'm at the end of my rope and I'd rather turn back, go inside and hide under the covers, that's the time to continue I've learned.

The seal was a hidden jewel in the rain today. Something I wouldn't have seen if I decided to stay indoors. When we least expect it we will find that everything we were hoping for is already there, waiting for us in the pouring rain.

10 comments:

  1. you just keep on walking!
    You're doing fine like this.

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  2. Thanks for reading and walking with me all this time Marika. I will keep walking! You too!

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  3. Hello,...
    My name is Claudia!
    I began reading your blog about 2/3 weeks ago! I can not fully describe what it has meant to me to find it. All i can say right now is THANK YOU! ...for taking the time to share your thoughts and moments with us. It takes much courage to reach within and share with the world. I will keep on reading it. I have begun a NEW blog myself and i dare to say that you have inspired me BIG!

    Again, THANK YOU a million!


    Clau

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  4. Clau-
    This is one of the most beautiful comments anyone has ever written me. It made my day. What goes around comes around, I guess. How powerful people's words and thoughts are. When they are used for the good of others, they can do so much. Thank you, I will check out your blog!

    Katherine

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  5. Thank you...
    i am pursuing my dream and passion which is PHOTOGRAPHY!
    My blog i started is called ALL IN DUE TIME...and i only have a few posts. I have seldom felt like you without readers but i know that a word or a picture may change someone's life.
    ;)

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  6. I love walking in the rain. I also love a challenge, thats not the same as stress, it is energising to push yourself to do something different or difficult.

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  7. I'm still here! Haha... I read your blog every day! It makes me so happy. Through all of my well-intentioned attempts to become Buddhist, or at least a better, more grounded, calm, person, your posts remain one thing that always inspire me to try harder.

    Thank you so much for taking this year to write 365 lessons you've learned. The most interesting posts to me were in your ten day meditation course-- should I try one, or is it too intense for a beginner? How do I go to try and become a good meditator?

    And this might be a silly question, but... are you Buddhist also? I know your husband is, but I was wondering about youtoo. :P ok thats all hehe! <3

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  8. Clau-I will check out your blog. I think I'm following two of them now. Thanks for reading mine.

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  9. Mrs. Midnite-Thanks for reading. Yes, it is good to push the limits sometimes!

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  10. Kate-Thanks for your kind words and how wonderful that you have been here since the beginning. I am blessed to have you along for this ride. I was also a beginner when I tried a 10-day meditation course the first time back in 1996. It was hard, but it was the most life changing thing I ever did. Everyone has to decide on their own if it is the right time, but I don't think being a beginner matters. I don't know if I would call myself a Buddhist, but I practice Buddhist principles. I don't like to affiliate myself with a particular sect or religion. A monk once said, "My religion is kindness." I like this better.

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