I had one of those moments the other day, that was so simple it slipped over into profound. It had been raining as I strolled down my local High Street, and I had my umbrella up. I was about to cross paths with a woman when she looked at me, smiled and said, “It’s not raining anymore”. Her smile was gentle, her voice low, but strong. Even as she uttered the words, I knew this was about more than the weather. And in that two second interaction she gave me an offering of wisdom that felt entirely intentional.
We’ve all had these times, I think, when the heavens have opened and up goes our protection as we march on in our own little worlds, preoccupied with busy mind or heart. Unless the rain is torrential, perhaps we don’t immediately notice when it’s stopped. Maybe we only realise when we see someone shaking out their own umbrella. It happens, but this moment was different. In that smallest of connections, it felt as though this woman had perfectly illustrated how easy it is to lose footing in the present moment. How easy it is to be so wrapped up in the past, in what happened five or ten minutes ago. In our comfort with the inconvenience, we fail to see that the storm has already passed and that there is sunshine to be had. There is recovery, perhaps even full healing.
Now change those five or ten minutes into years. How much time is lost to events no longer occurring?
My umbrella that day felt symbolic. It was the visual representation of solving a problem and yet becoming so disconnected that one completely loses touch with the parts of self still expending energy on it. Yes, it may still be a little wet outside. There may be puddles, the risk of being splashed by a passing car, or even the rain beginning again. But for now, it’s stopped raining.
Sometimes it takes other people to show us that the raincloud we live under has dissipated, that it’s okay to drop our guard.
The experience made me wonder, what else am I holding onto?
What else am I protecting myself from that’s no longer a threat, or challenge?
And in what areas am I now safe, where I used to be otherwise?
