TAKE TIME OUT
Every season is a fun season in Goa but for me I love being there in the monsoons, the smell of wet earth is intoxicating, watching the rain fall all around you is exciting, going to the beach and seeing the waves competing with each other is a challenge trying to guess which wave will be the biggest…all these makes a visit to Goa in the rains a must.
It was in one such rainy day in Vasco, I was trying to avoid the heavy downpour and took shelter in a bus stand in Vasco market. Next to me was a little girl holding her mother’s hand tight and watching with delight the rain making puddles, she reached out her tiny hand to catch a few rain drops and giggled and turning to me gave me a beautiful smile.
The first pitter patter of the rain, the intoxicating smell of wed mud, the feel of rain drops on your face are something we will always remember and cherish in life.
She must have been about 5 yrs old, beautiful, innocent. It was that kind of rain that gushes over the top of gutters and seems to be in a hurry to hit the earth. She seemed to be mesmerized with the rain and was lost in the sound and sight of the heavens washing away the dirt, dust of the world. Watching her I recalled my memories of splashing as a carefree child, a welcome reprieve from the world’s worries.
Suddenly, I heard her sweet voice which broke my hypnotic trance, “Mommy, let’s run through the rain” Her mother looked surprised and said “what???” She again said loudly, “let’s run and play in the rain”, No darling, let’s wait till it slows down a bit, the mother replied gently, the little child kept on pleading and the mother replied,” We cannot, we will get wet if we do so”, The child replied, “No we won’t, that is not what you told me this morning, , This Morning? When did I say we could run through the rain and not get wet?
Don’t you remember?? When you were talking to Daddy about his cancer and you said, “If God can get us through this, he can get us through anything” There was a pin drop silence, it was like the whole world has stopped suddenly, there was a pin drop silence all around the street.
The mom stopped on her way and thought for a moment what to say to her daughter. In such circumstances, many would ignore what she said, some would laugh it off, some may scold her, not seeing the moment of affirmation in the young girl’s life, a time when innocence trust can be nurtured so that it blooms into faith.
“Honey, you are absolutely right, let’s run in the rain, if God let’s us get wet, maybe we just need some washing, the mom said. So off they ran in the rain, laughing, jumping, shouting, darting past cars and puddles. They held onto each other’s hands and throwing off their umbrellas got soaked while all around them people screamed at them and ran for shelter.
And yes, guess what, the next person to join them was me, as I needed some washing from heaven too and yes, I did, I ran and I got wet.
So, don’t forget to make time and take opportunities to make memories every day. To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under heaven. I hope you still take the time to run through the rain.
