I Hope for Rain

As a child snow was an exciting novelty. It was a welcome surprise that generally meant school was canceled. It meant playing outside and perhaps an attempt at making an anemic snowman. It meant wrapping my hands around a mug of hot chocolate to help warm myself up after a cold winter’s day. Snow was almost magical in its quiet beauty that easily brought a smile to my face.

Yet as an adult the novelty is gone. I like snow…unless I have to deal with it. It hardly snows in the Portland-Metro area; we get a few flurries here and there that may or may not stick, but whenever it does snow, chaos ensues. It barely takes an inch before the news has its “Storm Watch” stories, schools are canceled and car accidents accumulate. Every year this happens because we’re just not equipped to handle any amount of snow.

Earlier this week came our first snow of the season, and as a beautiful blanket of snow covered the rooftops, dread filled me. Snow brings inconvenience, whether it’s the stress of driving in slippery conditions or avoiding it altogether and remaining housebound, it just throws everything out of whack. A couple of nights ago snow was falling silently down, but then in the midst of sleeping that night I heard the pattering of rain on the roof and relief filled me. Rain was washing away the snow.

So when winter comes and temperatures drop, I hope for rain. Yes, I know I may complain about the rain and often wish for sun, but I’ll take rain over snow any day of the week.