To celebrate Independence Day, my husband and I decided to take a kayaking trip down the Harpeth River. We’ve had intermittent thunderstorms almost daily over the last week or two. The forecast for the day of our planned adventure was no different. Naturally, we hoped for sunshine and that any storm activity would happen before or after our outing so as not to interrupt our plans.
When we checked in at the kayak site, the guys at the shop said the radar indicated we were probably going to be hit with a storm within the next hour. After much deliberation, we decided to go anyway. Tennessee is known for fickle weather. The storm could go around us or not hit at all.
We gathered our kayaks and paddles and set off for a fun trip down the river. No sooner had I lathered up with my SPF 50 sunscreen did the sun go behind the clouds and the sky turned an ominous dark gray. We were definitely going to be in the storm. It’s one thing to get wet on a sunny kayak trip with planned swim breaks. It’s a different thing to be hit by cold rain and wind with no sunshine to keep you warm.
As the thunder began to roll and rain began to fall, we decided to pull our kayaks up under some trees that were extending out over the water. At first they kept us fairly dry but when the rain came down harder, not so much.
My husband is worse than a cat about getting wet involuntarily, but I was excited. I have a thing about rain and storms, especially when they happen at what are typically the most undesirable times.
I know that a routine experience is going to become instantly memorable with the addition of a thunderstorm.
We decided we might as well start floating down the river because the trees were no longer keeping us dry. As the rain fell harder, we were cold and it was temporarily unpleasant. Yet I was full of gratitude because we would remember this kayak trip above all others. I knew the chills from the cold rain would fade long before the memory of floating down the river in a thunderstorm ever will. And what’s more, this scenario may never happen again. We were given a once in a lifetime
opportunity to experience something unique.
The rain eventually stopped and we emptied our kayaks of rain water at the next shallow bank. The sun came back out to warm us and dry us off. Pretty soon it was as if the storm had never happened except for the memory of it which we will not soon forget.
What may seem like an interruption or an inconvenience to our plans may be the very thing that creates one of our best memories. In those times, we may as well go with the flow and be open to what’s good about it. Choose to be present when it’s happening instead of just waiting for things to get right again. Make sure any real concerns are dealt with but then soak up the magic of the unexpected. Dare to see these times as a gift and share your enthusiasm so that those who are with you
will also anchor an amazing memory.
Want some more? Last week I was featured on a podcast with my good friend, Dr. Tami West, author of
The Stress Club. When Tami asked me what I might want to talk about, I thought about what I most needed to hear. I've been walking through a particularly tough season—yes we all have them—and we uncovered some useful strategies for navigating life's unexpected turns. I've listened to the replay twice already! I hope you get as much out of this as I have. Check out Episode #23 on
Consider Yourself Hugged,
"How to Be Okay When Everything Else Is Not Okay." If something in particular stands out for you, leave a comment or reply to this email and let me
know. We're in this together.