Eat, Pray, Rain
4:30 am struck this morning and I did not hear it. Thunder struck at 4:34 am and I did hear that. After being jolted awake, the intense sound of rain on my window and the sound of the new leak in my ceiling made it nigh impossible for me to get back to sleep. In my frustration, I grabbed my iPad and opened a weather app only to find that rain was in the forecast for the next 10 days straight.
At this time I was slightly annoyed because the only weather I have know since arriving in beautiful Tirana is rain. Though sleepless, I remained in my bed trying to relax until I absolutely had to get out of my bed for church. So complete was my temporary insomnia that around 6:00 am I again check the weather app hoping for a different result. Somehow in that short two hour span three of the next 10 days miraculously turned to an image showing some sun and no rain. The excitement of such a small victory was now to blame for keeping me awake.
Even though it is only three days in the future and it may change, the prospect for sunshine is exciting as I don't think there has been more than 3 days without rain (none consecutive) since I arrived 15 days ago.
Now I am a very religious person, or at least I try to be and though it is trivial and inconsequential, I have been praying almost constantly for the rain to stop. I hate rain. I have always hated rain. Days that I enjoy rain are few and far between. Now, that hatred has gone a step further.
The past week has been long and boring. I understand that I am in control of my life and can choose to do whatever I want so boredom is my own fault. However, during this time, I have little communication with family and friends, little communication with people around me due to language, and no car. Meaning everywhere I go I have to walk...in the rain. There are many sights I would love to see (and many pictures I would love to take and share) but the rain saps all of the fun out of every opportunity. "Ah but there is adventure in rainy days," you may say. Then may I remind you that I have never been a very adventurous person. For crying out loud I barely went on my first real roller coaster two years ago.
Friday seemed to be the epitome of the mundane life I live on a rainy Tirana day. I prayed for the rain to be gone (and prayed for other things of course). I laid in bed until lunch. Quickly ran through the rain to get something to eat. Ran home through the rain. Laid on my bed again. And continued to pray for the rain to go away.
I am told rain beautifies a city and though I don't disagree, I like the beauty of Tirana as it is and am just fine viewing it in all of its current though non-soaked glory. Yes, my rant is almost over. My home offers four seasons and though I have heard of two-season locations (dry and rainy), I had never experienced it and even found it odd. Well, I still find it odd for there to be a rainy season but now I guess my prayers are simply that even though it is rainy that all of my necessary books and papers for church and work will remain dry and in their proper shape lest I have to take an iron to the pages (as a great friend and former missionary had to do with his soaked scriptures). Oh and may my clothes also get dry and stay dry too.
Amen.
At this time I was slightly annoyed because the only weather I have know since arriving in beautiful Tirana is rain. Though sleepless, I remained in my bed trying to relax until I absolutely had to get out of my bed for church. So complete was my temporary insomnia that around 6:00 am I again check the weather app hoping for a different result. Somehow in that short two hour span three of the next 10 days miraculously turned to an image showing some sun and no rain. The excitement of such a small victory was now to blame for keeping me awake.
Even though it is only three days in the future and it may change, the prospect for sunshine is exciting as I don't think there has been more than 3 days without rain (none consecutive) since I arrived 15 days ago.
Now I am a very religious person, or at least I try to be and though it is trivial and inconsequential, I have been praying almost constantly for the rain to stop. I hate rain. I have always hated rain. Days that I enjoy rain are few and far between. Now, that hatred has gone a step further.
The past week has been long and boring. I understand that I am in control of my life and can choose to do whatever I want so boredom is my own fault. However, during this time, I have little communication with family and friends, little communication with people around me due to language, and no car. Meaning everywhere I go I have to walk...in the rain. There are many sights I would love to see (and many pictures I would love to take and share) but the rain saps all of the fun out of every opportunity. "Ah but there is adventure in rainy days," you may say. Then may I remind you that I have never been a very adventurous person. For crying out loud I barely went on my first real roller coaster two years ago.
Friday seemed to be the epitome of the mundane life I live on a rainy Tirana day. I prayed for the rain to be gone (and prayed for other things of course). I laid in bed until lunch. Quickly ran through the rain to get something to eat. Ran home through the rain. Laid on my bed again. And continued to pray for the rain to go away.
I am told rain beautifies a city and though I don't disagree, I like the beauty of Tirana as it is and am just fine viewing it in all of its current though non-soaked glory. Yes, my rant is almost over. My home offers four seasons and though I have heard of two-season locations (dry and rainy), I had never experienced it and even found it odd. Well, I still find it odd for there to be a rainy season but now I guess my prayers are simply that even though it is rainy that all of my necessary books and papers for church and work will remain dry and in their proper shape lest I have to take an iron to the pages (as a great friend and former missionary had to do with his soaked scriptures). Oh and may my clothes also get dry and stay dry too.
Amen.
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