A walk in the rain

I set out for a walk on a warm, sunny day. Two blocks and five minutes into my walk, there was a sudden opening of the clouds, and it poured the rain. My mother always used the phrase ‘poured the rain,’ and now I do.

I quickly ran to my friend, Jen’s, porch by Grandpa’s Candy Store. I still call her house the old Dorman house. The rain soon turned into a drizzle. Now what?

I hadn’t walked in the rain for a long time. The rain felt good, even though it turned a good hair day into a wet mop hair day. I kept walking right into Noble Coffee, where baristas Kelli and Ellie know my name and that I drink a Grande White Mocha. That is the comfort of being a part of our Hallmark-like downtown. I will tell you that The Kelli and Ellie Show is quite entertaining.

I continued to walk and had these random thoughts …

I may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but if they like coffee … I’m their gal. I’m not going to change who I am to be liked by someone, and neither should they. We can still be friendly. A difference of opinion should not build a wall but a fence. Some great conversations can be held over a fence.

If I keep repeating the worst-case scenarios in my head, I will continue to blow out the flame of hope. I can stop mid-thought and say, “Not going there.”

Past failures do not define me; they refine me. There will be some pain, yet there is so much beauty in the refinement. Failures do not cancel the promises of tomorrow. Failures or mistakes lead to lessons learned. I do wish refinement took off pounds.

Sometimes God leads me beside still waters, and there I find a good friend. A good friend refreshes my soul.

When gratitude becomes a way of life, I look at every situation differently. I recognize the smallest acts of kindness. This week, a kind man offered me his table at Bica Café, and he took the high-top barstool to work from. I may never meet him again, but I will always remember his kindness and our brief conversation. He has no idea I have prayed for him and his wife every day this week.

Gratitude wraps up hurts in the soft bandages of hope and healing. Soft words wrap around a weary soul and act as a balm.

Hope is the key, but gratitude opens my heart to the possibility of better things to come. That thought took a bit of extra pondering.

Feeling the need to explain my decisions to others is not always a good use of time and emotion. I’m the only one who walks in my shoes.

Life is too short to carry around a grudge or the baggage someone has heaped on me. There is nothing cute about a bag of grudges.

Don’t assume someone is “fine” or “okay” just because they are smiling. Perhaps they’ve gotten used to covering their hurt.

The forecast tells of several chances of rain over the next few days. I’m thinking another walk in the rain and a Grande White Mocha will sound good.

Can I tell you a secret? When you walk in the rain, you can shed a few tears, and no one knows as the tears mix with the raindrops.

Janet Hart Leonard can be contacted at janethartleonard@gmail.com or followed on Facebook or Instagram (@janethartleonard). Visit janethartleonard.com.