Rain is good.

Let’s get that out of the way before Mother Nature strikes me with lightning.

Rain feeds the earth. It keeps things green, washes the air, and makes farmers, trees, and smug gardeners nod knowingly.

It is the original multitasker…hydration, purification, ambiance. Poets love it. So do ducks. I respect rain. I truly do.

But.

Rain also turns those of us who live for the outdoors into mildly unhinged indoor creatures with too much time and not enough serotonin.

I like to be out there. Moving. Walking. Swimming. Eating outdoors like a civilized European with a napkin and opinions.

Rain says, No. Sit. Reflect. Reconsider your life choices.

Instead of sunshine and endorphins, you get a damp gray suggestion of both.

Rain makes me restless. Slightly feral. I start opening weather apps like they’re stock tickers. I negotiate with clouds. I tell myself I like the sound of rain while simultaneously resenting it for canceling swim sessions and beach walks.

This is not ingratitude. This is longing because sunshine invites you out. Rain invites you in.

Nature, we love you, but we are all yearning for some warmth and sustained time outdoors.

Enjoy the weekend and the Super Bowl…GO SEAHAWKS. This position is politically motivated. If interested, do a deep dive.