The Weather Will Change
It’s been so windy this week that I’ve been cooped up inside unless I specifically had to go somewhere. If there’s one thing I know about myself, it’s that I can’t stand staying inside all day. Finally, today when I woke up and checked the weather (the day before this post went live), I saw that it was relatively back to normal. I raced to get dressed, grabbed my tea, book, and hat and went to sit outside. It was sublime! The simplest pleasures are truly the most fulfilling.
All week I’ve been exhausted. And even though I am still tired today, spending some time outside completely rejuvenated me. Fresh air and sun on my skin is my favourite medicine. I went for a little too, to take advantage of the fact that it was so nice out.
As all walks do, it had me thinking about the quote: You are the sky, everything else— it’s just the weather. It’s easy to be miserable when the weather is miserable— or, I should say, when we perceive the weather to be miserable. No matter what happens in life, whether it’s something good or bad, it’s temporary, like the weather. Storms can feel like they’ll last forever but they never do. And the beautiful days never seem long enough. Detaching from the weather of life can allow you to imprint your own intentions on what kind of day you’ll have, regardless of what’s going on around you. It’s inevitable to feel sad or angry or joyful when certain things happen, but forcing the weather to stay by clinging to it is futile and exhausting. Yes, sometimes it’s safer to take shelter, wait, and let the storm pass, but sometimes it’s okay to get a little wet. If you only wait for the “perfect” days (whatever that means), how much of life are you missing out on?
It also brings to mind a beautiful quote from The Brothers Karamazov, which I finished reading this week: I see the sun, and if I don't see the sun, I know it's there. And there's a whole life in that, in knowing that the sun is there. Even when it’s stormy, the sun doesn’t go away. Even when life is raining down on you with problems or challenges, the good and wonderful doesn’t go away. Just because we can’t see something doesn’t mean it’s not there.
It’s been a great reminder to me to decide the energy I want to be in, rather than letting life influence my energy (which it certainly will if it gets the chance). You can be upset that it’s raining and sit there waiting for it to end or you can go dance in it while you still have the chance. Both options are always there. One thing you can always count on is that it’ll change. Maybe not right now, or tomorrow, but it will without fail.