Rain, Rain………..It’s okay!
It’s raining today. I live in Seattle so you’re probably saying, “Well, duh. Of course it’s raining, It rains all the time in Seattle!” I’ve lived here a year and a half and I’m here to tell you, no. It doesn’t. In fact, last winter I saw more days with blue skies in the winter than where I’d previously lived. Seattle actually gets less rain per year than Atlanta and when it does rain, it’s generally a soft, gentle rain that cleanses and gentles the earth. Umbrellas? Locals don’t use them and I’ve learned to leave my raincoat at home when I’m out running errands. We moved here because our children and grandchildren all live here and, contrary to how I feel mentally, I’m no spring chicken and it was time to move closer to family. Our boys came over here for college and never left. My husband and I got tired of dealing with multiple freeway closures over the Cascades in the winter, especially during the holidays. The deciduous trees lose their leaves in mid November but the huge fir trees blanketing the place keep everything green all year. No wonder its nickname is The Emerald City. A few weeks ago, The Seattle Times had an essay excitedly awaiting winter and encouraging everyone to enjoy “The Big Dark”. My friend Molly relished this time of year. She believed it was perfect for reflection, introspection and meditation. Summers are breathtakingly beautiful with the backdrop of Mount Rainier and the rest of the Cascades visible to the east and the Olympic Mountains just across the Puget Sound in the west. Long time residents ask people to keep right on perpetuating the myth and saying it rains all the time. It’s miserable. It’s gray. You’d hate it. Don’t come. They want to stop more people from moving here. Too late. I’m already here.
Photo courtesy debannja at Pixabay.com
