water inspiration

So many people complain about the weather. Especially rain. But the earth needs it. I discovered a few years ago, that slowing down in this weather is key. Our instinct in this fast paced world we live in, is to speed up. Run. But it doesn't keep you any dryer.
In the summer it's a bit easier to camp out on the porch, listen and watch the rain. But this time of year, the chill can be a drawback.
I've often told people who complain about winter that the key to enjoying it, is getting outside. Cross country skiing, snow shoeing, even just walking -- anything that gets your blood going fast enough to keep you warm so you can soak up some sun and fresh air.
It's true of rain too. We tend to burrow in, and lament the gloom. But taking a walk in the rain --listening to the drops on the umbrella, and the gush of waters whether in an overflowing stream or a city street -- can be a panacea. I like to sit in the car, let the windows glaze over in sheets of water and listen to the rhythm of the rain. I like to hear the wind turn the trees into showerheads. And find puddles in impossible places, like the hollow of a leaf.
It seems there's always either too much water or not enough. We only notice it's overabundance or it's lack. But I think this has been true since the beginning of time. Water is so vital to life.
I myself am even more aware of it since beginning the Water Prayer project - in which I am creating 108 prayer strands of 108 beads each, created of paper from consumer products that are water-dependant. But I like to think of the rain as a blessing, not a curse. Nature's not our enemy. And, as I'm sure, countless environmentalists can talk about much better than I can, it's precisely our attempt to control it that spins it further out of whack.
So rather than lamenting the rain and all the ways it may be putting a damper on daily life right now (not to mention the devestating effects of the recent hurricane and all the human suffering associated with it) I wonder how we can find blessings in the deluge - knowing that even what is washed away in violence makes way for rebirth and growth.