Most people prefer sunny days over rainy days. Save for maybe farmers and meteorologists most of us do not wish for rain unless it is “convenient” for us.
Likewise, most people prefer sunny days over cloudy days. Count me among those people. But……..I think cloudy days are underrated. I think overcast days are misunderstood.
In my generation most kids spent a good deal of time outside. Unlike the times of the most recent generations of adolescents there was more to do outside the confines of home. But ask any person of any age and most will speak fondly of fair weather fun outdoors.
My appreciation for cloudy or overcast days began in my childhood during the Fall season on a day similar to this one. I knocked on the doors of my neighborhood friends and none would or could come out to play because it was cloudy and “might rain”. So, I grabbed my football and remote controlled planes and went to “the field”. Kicked and threw the ball around, ran with the ball avoiding imaginary defenders. Flew my planes until they ran out of fuel. The peace and quiet of those solitary overcast days left a lifelong impression on me.
To this day I still enjoy being outside on a cloudy fall day. Time seems to slow down just bit. The air is crisp. Your senses are heightened. The background noise is subdued. Most other people are indoors. Try it for yourself. Do not take your phone. No texts. No email. No alerts. No notifications. No messages. No likes. No tweets. No calls. No FaceTime or Meets required.
Go out and take a walk amongst the clouds. Just listen to the silence and you will hear your true voice speaking to you. And don’t be surprised if you develop your own appreciation for life between the sun and the rain.
The Real Life Corner 