Opinion | I used to dance in the rain
When I was little, I enjoyed dancing in the rain, until being a responsible adult got in the way of it. But maybe it didn’t have to. And maybe dancing in the rain is more important than I thought. Illustration by YANA SAMOYLOVA, Illustrator
I used to dance in the rain when I was little.
I remember one time when my brother and I were in my house with our parents, and it started pouring rain. My mom was usually very strict about not letting us out in the rain unless it was absolutely necessary, and then only if we were properly equipped with rain jackets, boots and umbrellas. Except this time, we managed to convince her to let us go out in the rain and have fun for a few minutes.
It was glorious.
It was so exciting to be just standing in the rain. The drops falling on our faces, the wind in our hair, my brother and I laughing and spinning around just because we could… After that, every time it rained, I wanted to go outside and have fun. So I did.
Emilia Cuevas Diaz, opinions editor
I used to dance in the rain. When it started raining in the middle of basketball practice, I twirled around the court. When the rain caught me in the middle of walking my dog, I started laughing. When I was doing homework and I heard the tell-tale tip-tap of rain, I rushed out to the garden. I used to dance in the rain. But not anymore.
At some point, practicality got in the way. I don’t think of dancing anymore when it rains. If I’m outside, I think of how I’m going to have to wash my clothes because they’re wet. If I’m at home, I think of how inconvenient the rain is for me to get anything done outside. If I’m at school, I find it annoying because it means I have to stay inside a building or go to class drenched. Rain transformed from a source of joy to an evil to be dealt with.
It makes sense when I think about it. Back then, I didn’t have to deal with any of the consequences. I was just a kid dancing in the rain. Now, I’m (technically) an adult.
Since I came to college, I’ve been in charge of getting to places on time, cooking my own food, washing my own clothes, going grocery shopping and so many other adult responsibilities that I honestly lose track of. I don’t have time to dance in the rain, let alone wash my clothes after.
Or do I? Or maybe that’s the wrong question to ask. Maybe the real question is should I be making time for it?
It rained a couple of weeks ago, and for once, I allowed myself to not think of anything but the joy I used to feel when it rained. So instead of overthinking it, I just went outside and started dancing in the rain. And this brought me so much joy and energy that it carried with me the rest of the week.
This incredibly simple action of going outside and letting the rain drench me made me feel so happy that it improved my mood and outlook on the rest of the week. After that, the bad things weren’t as bad, and the good ones felt infinitely better.
Not that I’m saying the rain magically made everything in my life perfect and nothing is wrong anymore, but letting my inner child out brought me a very particular kind of delight that I hadn’t felt in a long time, and it made things easier to bear.
For me, dancing in the rain brings me back to the carefree days of childhood when I could just enjoy the simple things of life. For you, it’s probably something else. Maybe it’s playing with a specific toy or going to the park. But whatever it is, as we make this transition to adulthood, don’t forget to let your inner child out to play every once in a while. Allow yourself the time to connect with the things that used to bring you joy.
