Running Through The Rain

Have you ever noticed that you need to feel gratitude most at a time when you don’t feel like it? Tom R. passed along this story that really helps put things into perspective. I hope you enjoy it!

It was pouring outside. The kind of rain that gushes over the top of rain gutters, so much in a hurry to hit the earth it has no time to flow down the spout. We all stood there under the awning and just inside the door of the Wal-Mart. We waited, some patiently, others irritated because nature messed up their hurried day.

She had been shopping with her Mom in Wal-Mart. She must have been 6 years old, this beautiful red haired, freckle-faced image of innocence.

Her voice was so sweet as it broke the hypnotic trance we were all caught in: “Mom, let’s run through the rain.” she said.
“What?” mom asked.
“Let ‘s run through the rain!” she repeated.
“No, honey. We’ll wait until it slows down a bit.,” mom replied.
This young child waited about another minute and repeated: “mom, let’s run through the rain.”
“We’ll get soaked if we do,” mom said.
“No, we won’t, mom. That’s not what you said this morning,” the young girl said as she tugged at her mom’s arm.
“This morning? When did I say we could run through the rain and not get wet?”
“Don’t you remember? When you were talking to daddy about his cancer, you said, ‘If God can get us through this, he can get us through anything!”

The entire crowd stopped dead silent.
I swear you couldn’t hear anything but the rain.
We all stood silently.
No one came or left in the next few minutes.
Mom paused and thought for a moment about what she would say.

“Honey, you are absolutely right. Let’s run through the rain. If GOD let’s us get wet, well maybe we just needed washing,” mom said.

Then off they ran. We all stood watching, smiling and laughing as they darted past the cars and yes, through the puddles. They held their shopping bags over their heads just in case.

And they got soaked.

But they were followed by some who screamed and laughed like children all the way to their cars.

– Author unknown

Are you worrying about the things that really do not matter? The next time you are ‘inconvenienced’ ask yourself, ‘how significant is this situation?’ and then determine if you just might be over reacting. Is it raining? Big deal! And then… express your gratitude for something.

Be Well.
Paul.
The Gratitude Guru