Who says you always need sunshine to smile by?

To be honest, there are some sunny days, where I walk outside in the morning and am immediately in agony. And no, that’s not because of a hangover. While the sun may be an essential element of life on this planet, that doesn’t mean its light can’t be rightly irritating. Bright days without a cloud in the sky, are as much noise to me as a crowded restaurant of people talking over each other. I can appreciate its beauty, but I often prefer to do so from underneath the shade of a nice tree.

My overly sensitive eyes and hears are certainly hereditary. Like so many things, they have pros as well as cons. But as someone who is also an introvert, overt sensitivity to stimuli makes me want to be that much more of an outcast.

Cloudy, and especially, rainy days, make me smile. When I wake up and see an overcast, my spirit is immediately lifted. I can walk outside with my eyes wide open. I actually enjoy the increase in barometric pressure. And there is no more relaxing sound to sleep by, or to play a video game against, than the pattering of rain upon a rooftop or windowsill.

Aside from the above, I also take a certain pleasure in being the contrarian. Most people that I talk to, especially in a work setting, complain about the rain. I see them squeal underneath their little umbrellas, watch them sprint to a door in a desperate attempt at not getting wet, and I just have to chuckle. In contrast, I take my time, walk in the rain, and might even hold my face against the water and embrace the downpour.

The next time you complain about overcast skies and rainy days, just remember that there are those out there, for whom such days are as joyful, as those painfully bright and sunny days are to you. Such is the duality of nature… there is as much legitimacy and beauty to be had in darkness as there is in light.

FIN