On our last full day enjoying the Garden Island of Kauai, we took a chartered catamaran cruise along the coast.  Whales, dolphins, and sea turtles were spotted throughout the morning and we delighted in the opportunity to snorkel off the boat in a beautiful coral reef.  It was the highlight of our trip.

At one point on the cruise we were warned that the vessel was about to pass through a pocket of heavy rain.  In an effort to stay dry, everyone deserted the upper deck and made their way under cover.  I, however, did not.  I was the lone person to remain in the open air.  For some strange reason, I wanted to feel the rain.

As the clouds loomed overhead, it started as a drizzle and then began to pour.  I closed my eyes, breathed deeply, and felt every drop as it showered my body.  It was invigorating, even exhilarating; it stimulated my senses, giving me energy.  Though I didn’t act on my impulse, I had an odd longing to stand up with outstretched arms and repeatedly shout, “I’m alive!  I’m alive!”

Seeing as my life journey has entailed a long season of metaphorical rain, I found the literal rain to be curiously enticing.  Yet, what surprised me most, with this Kauai downpour, was that the more intensely the drops pelted my flesh, the more alive I felt.

Likewise, I perceive that my current monsoon is pelting that which had become dull and listless in me and stimulating new life.