I took this photo of my dog while I walked him this morning. We had a lovely walk, as we always do, even though today we got wet. I was thinking about the fact that he really doesn't care about the weather. He's always happy to be outside. He likes smelling new locations, running around, rolling in smelly things, and looking around. He still does all of those things when it's raining.
And I thought, even though I do only half of those outdoor activities (I'll let you figure out which two), I too like being outside. As long as I take precautions to dress for the weather (and I'm grateful to have terrific rain gear), I can stay out a pretty long time and still be happy.
Here are a few of the reasons I enjoy being outside:
- I feel healthier when I get more outdoor time than when I sit around inside.
- I love listening to podcasts. (See other posts or ask in comments for recommendations.)
- I live in a beautiful place. (Location. Location. Location.)
- I often feel less stressed after a walk or run outside. (You know that line about meditation, right? I think it goes like this: People should meditate for half an hour every day. When they're too stressed and busy and don't have any time, then they should meditate for an hour. Yep, that's it. I don't actually meditate, but I think you could substitute "meditation" for any activity that's not on your to-do list. I definitely count walking.)
- There's the whole baptism thing. I'm not Christian, but I do imagine the rain as being able to wash away the icky parts of my life. I think of it as a fresh start.
- If I want to sing to myself while I walk, people around can't hear me as easily.
Why do you like the rain? Or do you like other weather events better? Feel free to leave a comment.