Still waiting for all this rain to stop? Perhaps it’s time for Plan B…

Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass… it’s about learning how to dance in the rain.

— Unknown

I began writing this back on St.Paddy’s Day, a holiday that brings to mind my very Irish Mom who had a penchant for “sayings” that some might call clichés but I called them wee bits of wisdom.  This lament of hers comes to mind:

It’s the luck of the Irish…

Sometimes it was said with a long, loud SIGHHH and sometimes with a wicked, jolly and self-satisfied GRINNN… the ambiguity led me to believe that us Irish could count on both bad luck and good luck. No telling what would happen. But, for sure, it happened because we were Irish!

Anyway… now it’s the week after St. Patrick’s Day and it’s raining AGAIN.  Yes, I know that for many of you it never stopped – it’s been raining since forever! And it looks like lots more is a-comin’.  ’Tis the luck of the Irish, don’t ’cha know?

To compound the doldrums, I’m listening to Paul McCartney’s Too Much Rain:

Smile when you’re spinning round and round
Sigh as you think about tomorrow
Make a vow that you’re gonna be happy again

It’s all right in your life
No more rain…

Time for Plan B

Don’t pray for fewer problems; pray for more skills. Don’t ask for smaller challenges; ask for greater wisdom. Don’t look for an easy way out; look for the best possible outcome. When life gives you a kick, let it kick you forward.

— Steve Goodier

Yep, dancing in the rain, that would be my plan for kicking it forward.  I’m going to stop complaining and get me another new skill – I’m going to learn to dance in the rain.

Some of you may be saying, what’s to learn? And I would ask back: why haven’t you done more of it? My guess is that there are several comebacks you could give me – such as:

• I don’t want to get wet…
• I’d feel foolish…
• I can’t dance…

And perhaps that’s the point – learning to dance in the rain includes not just dance lessons but lessons in being willing to get wet and look foolish.  But for now, if you feel like you’ve got two left feet, here’s your dance lesson:

How to Master the Rain Dance & Survive the Storm*:
(*Proceed at your own risk!)

Brought to you by EHow.com

1. Put on comfortable clothing and go outside and stand in the rain. Raise your arms and allow it to soak your soul. Clear your mind and listen to the rainfall focusing all of your energy on the sounds that the rain brings. Rustling trees, the wind blowing, the sound of the raindrops hitting the ground etc… Now begin to dance, jumping in the puddles beneath your feet all the while raising your hands up to the source of the rain. Keep your eyes closed and your mind clear and just feel the rain hitting your skin. Now you’re FREE!  Free from the world around you, free from cares and worries, free from stress and anxiety. It’s just you and the rain. Keep dancing until you feel release from the weight of your burdens. Keep dancing!
2. Now you’re ready to take it to the next level! When the cares of life begin to weigh you down… When the storms of life are blowing all around… When the bills and the burdens begin to weigh you down and stress rears its ugly head… remember your rain dance. Turn on your favorite music, raise your hands up to the source of the rain and DANCE. Dance until your burdens are lifted! Dance until you’re FREE!
3. When you can dance without the rain you have mastered the rain dance and can survive the storm. So when the storms of life [are] all around you trying to blow you down… dance in the rain and become one with the storm.

Ok – I think I’ve got the dancing part down… but being willing to get wet and look foolish? SIGHHHH, I haven’t a clue… no lessons for that… ’Tis the luck of the Irish – and I’ll leave it to you to decide: would that be good luck or bad?

Still waiting for all this rain to stop? Perhaps it’s time for an Irish jig – GRINNNNN.