Singing in the Rain

When the skies cloud over, my life gets a little more sunny. There's nothing I love more than a rainy day, and apparently, I'm not alone. A quick browse through sites like Pinterest and Tumblr show numerous posts with tags like "rain," and "rainy day." The simple joy people get from rain is so prevalent that the Urban Dictionary gives a word to this phenomenon:

Pluviophile - (n) a lover of rain; someone who finds joy and peace of mind during rainy days.

Imagine a rainy day, take in all the details - the grey overcast sky, the damp smell of earth, the patter of the drops hitting the window - perfection.

Not only do I love the rain itself, I also love staying in on rainy days. They're the perfect occasion to combine another of my favourite things - old movies. There's nothing quite like curling up on a rainy day, with a cozy blanket, a bottle of wine and a little Audrey Hepburn.      

But the absolute best part of a rainy day comes at the very end of the day, that absolutely blissful moment when you lay your head on the pillow and realize that you get to fall asleep to the sound of rain. I love this so much that I downloaded an app for my phone that plays the sound of rain - there are several free or nominally priced versions for iPhone available through the App Store. My favourite is Relax Melodies - a free app that lets you mix sounds to create a personalized sleep experience.

Rainy day favourite things:

Kate Spade Umbrella

Hunter Boots

Roman Holiday

Cozy Blanket

Raindrops on Roses

"When the dog bites, when the bees sting..."

Remember that scene in the Sound of Music where all the children are frightened by the thunderstorm and Julie Andrews sings to them to not be afraid?  (If you've never seen the movie, get up right now and go watch it. Right. Now.)  Well, Fraulein Maria's answer to fear and sadness was to counter them with happy memories.  I know it sounds cheesy but it really works.

Our lives, to use a common cliche, are very much like a roller coaster - constant loops, steady climbs, stomach-dropping lows - and we all have a very human tendency to focus only on those moments that make us feel not so great.  So, what should we do when we're staring down from the top of the roller coaster bracing for the inevitable drop?  Sing about it! No, I'm just kidding, that might make things worse. What we should do, is think about our favourite things. Those inexplicable, wonderful things in everyday life that can make us smile no matter what.

The goal of this blog is to celebrate all the numerous things in our lives that already make us happy. And maybe by reading the things that make others smile, you'll find something new to love. I'd love to hear from all of you - what makes you smile?  What do you sing about during a thunderstorm?   

Me? I think about champagne and confetti.

       

Via The Glitter Guide