Can I Just Get a Break?
“Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving; Sing praises on the harp to our God, Who covers the heavens with clouds, Who prepares rain for the earth, Who makes grass to grow on the mountains.”
Here in Chicago (and I think it’s okay to say most of the Midwest), we’ve gotten a lot of rain over the past month. I can’t really say if it’s worse than the past - all I know is that we have had very few days without rain, and even fewer consecutive days without it. During this past week, I caught myself thinking “can’t we just have one or two nice days without any rain?” As soon as the thought past, I realized that it sounded extremely similar to what those of us with chronic illnesses say: “can I just get one or two good days?”
We have all experienced the effects of many sunless days on end (regardless of if we’ve acknowledged it). Being crabby, on edge, tired, uninspired, unproductive, and much more can all be attributed to not seeing the sun for even a couple of days in a row. And the same can be true for anyone who experiences the symptoms of an illness day after day. The disappointment of looking at tomorrow’s forecast only to find out more rain is on the way will make us roll our eyes in frustration. But the defeat of waking up in the morning only to feel that the pain is still there and relief has not come is a blow to hope, happiness, and faith.
I understand that sometimes words are of little consolation to anyone who suffers from chronic illness(es). And it’s incredibly likely that you’ve heard the rain cliche more times than you have wanted. I won’t waste space with anecdotes and I won’t insult your intelligence explaining metaphors. But let the following serve as a comforting reminder that rain brings growth and produces beauty:
The many days of rain that have come down this year, as annoying and disappointing as it may have been, have made my flowers and plants fuller and healthier than I’ve ever seen before. And even better, the flower stems are sturdier and the blossoms are more vivid. The grass is green, and even the raindrops aren’t heavy enough to pull the strong green leaves off of the trees. The sunny days are much more enjoyable after a few days of clouds, and I will be sure to not take for granted those sunny days that come in a row. And I can’t forget that all the plants need to be refreshed by connecting to the source of their growth, even if it means not receiving direct sunlight for a day or two.
At times, it’s gotten so bad that it looked as if some of the flowers may drown in all the rain. But just as it seems the flowers are at their limit, the rain stops and the soil is given time to drain and dry. Other plants, inside houses or in different areas in the world, have not had to endure all of the rain my plants have, but at the end of this season, I am assured that mine will have deeper roots, stronger stems, and flowers that are brilliant and full of grace.