It rained this morning. It would have been wonderful if I woke up early, had breakfast and drove to work in the rain. To do these morning rituals accompanied by the sound of rain. Instead I woke up late. It was still raining, but the feeling was different. I was rushing and the rain became another anomaly. In a usual or good situation, rain enhances the feeling and makes the situation better. We all have romantic notions about rain. The umbrella has a way of adding romance. It may be the shape of the umbrella. And that it helps us stay in the rain without getting wet. We can walk in the rain with that someone. Or walk in the rain alone.

I remember as a child, I used to worry the rain would prevent me from going outdoors. What I remember most is, when my father planned to bring us to a movie, I would be looking into the skies days ahead praying it would not rain. So it would come even as a surprise to me that for the first movie company I set up, I would call it Raintree Pictures. I still don’t know why I came up with this name. It seemed like a good name at the time. Of course, now I see it as a fitting name. Tropical and lush. It gives texture and feel to a movie company. Looking at some of the movies we produced when I was heading Raintree Pictures, there is little to apologize for. We did some great work in a pioneering environment.

Rain has no colour. Like black and white movies. The feel of rain have inspired creative works since time immemorial. And it is quite different from the feel of snow. Snow is exclusive, almost elitist. Rain is inclusive and like the salt of the earth, more grounded. It only snows in some parts of the world, but it rains nearly everywhere I know. Arguably snowing is more cinematic, and admittedly wondrous and grand. Yet rain has an audible dimension which makes it more immediate. My personal feelings of rain swing from comfortably warm and fuzzy to anxiously cold and wet. This very moment, I choose to focus on the good feelings of rain. It provides a warm sense of security. Because rain is water and water is life. I see the reservoirs filling up, I see farmers rejoicing, I see the entire landscape meandering with shine and vigour. After a rain, there is also a clean and contented feeling because the rain has washed away dirt and waste.

Yet rain is not at all colourless. With light, we can see a rainbow. All cultures have used rain to tell or add to stories. While there are mishaps caused by rain, rain as a metaphor is invariably life enriching. There is torrential downpour which destroys, but mostly rain is revered because it is a necessary component of growth. After thunder and lightning which can be intimidating, the sound of rain that follows is familiar, reassuring and almost tranquil. The rain this morning continued throughout the day. I am not complaining. This post seems to be about nothing; I have wanted to express how I feel about rain but never did until now. I chanced upon this poem, simply titled ‘Rain’, which reads like nothing, but then again it may mean something to you.

Rain
The rain falling softly upon his face,
Takes him to a magical place.
The rain falling softly in his hair,
Lets his soul float upon the air.
The rain touching his lips,
Gives him the breath of life in little sips.
The rain falling softly from the sky,
Lets him know that heaven,
Is where good souls fly.