Personally, I’ve always enjoyed a rainy day. There’s just something about the sound and ambiance of rain that I prefer over a bright and sunny day, although those can be just as nice. When I lived in Washington State, I’d go for regular neighborhood walks in the light rain, and in Stockholm, Sweden, I even appreciated the rainy days in the city. The sidewalks always seemed clean and refreshed after a good rain shower.
This brings to mind how some people I know feel depressed when it rains, while I feel more relaxed, so I typed the following into Google. “Why do some people prefer rainy weather?” and it gave me some thought provoking reasons for why this might be.
Soothing Sounds and Sights: The rhythmic sound of rain falling on rooftops or windows can be calming and even conducive to sleep. The way rain makes the world look clean and fresh, with everything appearing bright and clear after a storm, is also appealing to some.
Relaxation and Cozy Activities: Rainy days offer a perfect excuse to stay inside, relax, and engage in activities like reading, listening to music, or spending time with loved ones.
Cooling Effect: Rain can help cool down an area on a hot day, providing welcome relief from the heat.
Nature’s Cleanliness: Rain helps to wash away dirt and pollutants, contributing to a sense of cleanliness and renewal.
Psychological Benefits: Some studies suggest that exposure to negative ions, which are abundant during rain, can lift mood and reduce stress
After reading some of those reasons, it makes sense why I’m more content than others on a rainy day. After my parents separated, my Mom moved to Mexico and eventually built a new life in a small village north of Zihuatanejo called Troncones. I didn’t see her for over a year because I had stayed in Northern California with my Dad. Once I finally flew to Mexico to spend some time with her, it was the rainy season because it was June, and I was on summer break from school.
My Mom’s “residence” didn’t have electricity then, nor was it connected to a community water source. There was no air conditioning, and we had water for the house delivered by truck. We bought all our drinkable water. We also used a generator to power things like my laptop or her washing machine. It was all very bare bones. She simplified her life, going from being a successful small business owner in the San Francisco Bay Area to living in a rustic palapa on a Mexican beach and reevaluating her needs in life.
In the kitchen, my Mom used a propane refrigerator and range. She had a little concrete structure poured near her driveway, which she could lock up and secure her valuables inside. On the roof were a bunch of massive water tanks. Attached to that was an outdoor shower area, and then on the opposite side of the driveway from that building was an outhouse dug into the ground. It had a privacy door made of bamboo, and when you went inside, you had to squat over a hole. I hated going there after dark because I was terrified of my flashlight falling in.
This is how my Mom chose to live then, and she was content there. She was always kind of a hippie anyway. Trust her to use an outhouse while our friends down the beach had real toilets and electricity (it took a lot of money and effort to connect to the grid).
My Mom’s living room had a few hammocks and original air chairs. She used to refer to her new way of life as “Deluxe camping,” but I never really saw it that way because I was always hot and uncomfortable, and if I’m candid, I was annoyed to be there. The rain offered me a welcome break from the stifling heat and a reason to sit in an air chair and read a book in the misty breeze. I was in a bad teenage mood most of the time at my Mom’s, so the rain was a blessing that naturally cooled down the temperatures of both the outside world and my internal displeasure with the whole situation.
I must have developed a sincere fondness for the rain because as a teenager I relied on it to quiet my mind and reduce stress. My Mom and I wouldn’t argue much when it was raining. We would sit together in the hammocks or air chairs and watch it fall, and sometimes, if the risk of lightning was slim, we would even swim in the nearby tidepools. I loved sitting in the warm tropical water while the cool rain drops fell on my face and into the ocean around me. Our black labrador, Walker, would sit there with me, too. He loved going to the tidepools because he enjoyed watching all the fish.
Lately things have been overwhelming, between my Dad, not having a solid income, and owing taxes. I really need to remind myself to relax, so I’ve been making videos using Descript, and their collection of stock video and audio. Simply creating each video seems to be a form of therapy for me, so even if nobody else enjoys my work, at least I have. I made this “Rainy Day” Relax for 5 minutes compilation today, and figured I’d share it now, because maybe all I truly need right now is a good rainy day.