As a child, rain gave me a sense of relief. Perhaps it was because I knew nobody was going to be outside playing in the rain that I felt particularly secluded, and I would be able to selfishly enjoy the warm summer water falling upon my face. In retrospect, I saw how it creates such a sombre atmosphere for those in its presence. Yet, deep down inside of me I still often felt a sense of peace when it rained. Yes, even on those rainy days when the clouds carried along thunder bolts of lightning. I remember as a little girl sitting at the cottage watching the lighting flash on the lake through the big bay window, and I would count the distance until the thunder was heard. It was rather soothing, but there were times I was a little frightened when a huge bolt of lightning lit the entire sky because I knew there soon would be a real big clap of thunder.
What is more, not many people like rain let alone thunder and lighting, and they often associate rain to one's own detriment; especially when traveling. Being faced with rain while traveling can be rather daunting particularly when the drops of rain are an inch thick hitting the windshield every millisecond. Nonetheless, when I was faced with rain in some of my travels I embraced it to a certain degree, for I cannot help but think of how notably nostalgic it is to me. I feel assuaged in life overall and it makes me want to curl up in a comfy blanket and read a good book.
Overtime, I began to wonder about rain and what/how people associated to its meaning. As I began to inquire about rain and asked others what they thought, I was honestly a little taken back about how much rain is considered `evil`. Even mentioning the word rain people made disgusted or saddened faces.
They would tell me that when it rains they become lethargic, sore, unconcern about their day, angry, and even depressed. Furthermore, some believed that rain is considered bad luck on a wedding day. In fact, from what I heard it is good luck to have rain on your wedding day. Also, that thunder and lightening are natural fertilizer for the earth.
I delved into it! I looked up rain and what it could possibly mean overall and here's what I found. Okay, maybe not the best source, but it makes sense- at least to me...
RAIN.
The symbolism of rain derives from its correlation with the sacred substance water, a universal metaphor for the origin and renewal of life. The primacy and awesome mystery of natural phenomena for early humans, and his vital dependence on their manifestations, are reflected in the human exaltation of rain as a supreme creative power and intermediary between heaven and earth. In the seasonal revival of nature and the infusion of new life, rain was seen as the dispenser of divine grace and plenty, the promise of survival; in the periodic destruction wrought by storms and floods, as the agent of divine retribution and disaster, the threat of annihilation. Rain signified the descent of heavenly influences upon the earth; at times the gods themselves descended in rain or spoke in the thunder. Like the sun's rays, "the rain from heaven" (Gn. 8:2) was cognate to light, illumination.
The sacrality of sky and the supremacy of rain deities are fundamental elements in the structure of the myths and religions of archaic peoples. As the "most high," sky gods were assimilated to transcendence, their very names often connoting elevation. The Mesopotamian hieroglyph for "height" or "transcendence of space" also meant "rainy sky," and thus linguistically linked rain to divinity.
[edit 10/25/06]Just to add one more thought. If rain is "a universal metaphor for the origin and renewal of life", and many of us dislike change, then I reckon that rain is a form of release of the spirit in us and on earth. In a way. It makes perfect sense in my mind as to why many of us don't like the rain, since it forces us to stop what we're doing and actually see what's going on.
