Monday past started with some unexpected rain. At least it was a surprise to me, but it seemed like a good way to start the workweek. People moved a little slower, the coffee shop felt a little warmer and the hard edge of a workday was softened just a little. I had just returned from a weekend in Portland, where I’m quite sure that my Rose City friends would have preferred a bright sunny Monday morning. Here in North Central Washington, where the sun is much more the norm, rain can be an excuse to reflect a bit, to listen a little more closely to others, or a reason to dream, if only about what it will be like when the sun returns.

Granted, rain can ruin well-crafted plans, but gray skies really are a good backdrop for contemplation. Even a few minutes of silence can be a gift to embrace in our crazy, digital, always on, 24/7 existence. Changing plans enhances our ability to flex, adjust, and modify, which I’m sure are all good practices.

In the best of all scenarios, the rain showers are brief; long enough to catch our attention and refocus the mind, but then the clouds begin to part. Suddenly great swatches of blue appear, steam starts to rise from the warming ground. Perhaps you can even revive previous plans, but if not, you have cleared your mind and you are ready for whatever the day will hold. A little quiet is a good idea, maybe even on a sunny day.