You plan a walk or a hike and then it rains.  So you stay inside and postpone the walk until the weather’s better.

I’ve done it plenty – I’ve stayed inside because of rain.  I like dry weather and blue skies and long views.  But I’ve also learned to like fog and mist and rain and even a downpour here and there.  I’ve learned to love raindrops dripping from flowers and leaves all shiny and wet.

While I’ve never been a fan of hiking in the mud- in fact walking in mud for fourteen miles on my first day on the Appalachian Trail in Vermont made me cry – I realize that a walk in the rain can often be lovely. It shifts the perspective closer- to the moss on the trail side, or a bark-darkened tree, or a puddle adorned with fallen leaves.  Rain puts up a curtain around the long views so you notice what’s right in front of you.  Sometimes its a box turtle in the trail.  Or a squirrel fixing up a nest for the evening.

Last night I hosted a wordless walk – it was supposed to be to enjoy the sunset and moonrise, but clouds and rain all day made visibility of the sunset unlikely.  So people who’d planned to attend the walk mostly stayed away  – rain tends to do that.

I learned from six months hiking the Appalachian Trail that if I only hiked when it wasn’t raining, I would never finish the journey. It rains a lot in the eastern woodlands. Yesterday I had nowhere I needed to be and I could have easily stayed home and canceled the walk, knowing that people understand that you don’t go out walking in the rain.

But I’d been inside too much this week.  So I went. And I’m so glad I did.  The quality of light as day shifted to night was magical.

The rain was only a sprinkle here and there.  I really did watch a squirrel prepare its nighttime cozy spot.

And the moon peeked out from the clouds for a moment!

The breeze was the absolute perfect temperature, and I got what I’d come out for – stillness for my soul.

Here’s one more wordless video for you – raindrops on the bayou.  Watch the ripples.  So calming.

So what are your thoughts? Will you go walking in the rain?  What do you love about rain?