A LITTLE GIRL HAD BEEN SHOPPING
WITH HER MOM IN SPAR. SHE MUST
HAVE BEEN 6 YEARS OLD, THIS
BEAUTIFUL RED HAIRED, FRECKLE
FACED IMAGE OF INNOCENCE. IT
WAS POURING OUTSIDE. THE KIND
OF RAIN THAT GUSHES OVER THE
TOP OF RAIN GUTTERS, SO MUCH
IN A HURRY TO HIT THE EARTH
IT HAS NO TIME TO FLOW DOWN
THE SPOUT. WE ALL STOOD
THERE UNDER THE AWNING AND
JUST INSIDE THE DOOR OF THE
SPAR.
WE WAITED, SOME PATIENTLY,
OTHERS IRRITATED BECAUSE
NATURE MESSED UP THEIR
HURRIED DAY. I AM ALWAYS
MESMERIZED BY RAINFALL.
I GOT LOST IN THE SOUND
AND SIGHT OF THE HEAVENS
WASHING AWAY THE DIRT
AND DUST OF THE WORLD.
MEMORIES OF RUNNING,
SPLASHING SO CAREFREE
AS A CHILD CAME POURING
IN AS A WELCOME REPRIEVE
FROM THE WORRIES OF MY DAY.
THE LITTLE VOICE WAS SO
SWEET AS IT BROKE THE
HYPNOTIC TRANCE WE WERE
ALL CAUGHT IN 'MOM LET'S
RUN THROUGH THE RAIN,'
SHE SAID.
'WHAT?' MOM ASKED.
'LETS RUN THROUGH THE
RAIN!' SHE REPEATED
'NO, HONEY. WE'LL WAIT
UNTIL IT SLOWS DOWN A
BIT,' MOM REPLIED.
THIS YOUNG CHILD WAITED
ABOUT ANOTHER MINUTE AND
REPEATED: 'MOM, LET'S RUN
THROUGH THE RAIN,'
'WE'LL GET SOAKED IF WE DO,'
MOM SAID.
'NO, WE WON'T, MOM..
THAT'S NOT WHAT YOU SAID
THIS MORNING,' THE YOUNG
GIRL SAID AS SHE TUGGED AT
HER MOM'S ARM.
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, YOU SAID, '
IF GOD CAN GET US THROUGH
THIS, HE CAN GET US THROUGH
ANYTHING!'
THE ENTIRE CROWD STOPPED DEAD
SILENT. I SWEAR YOU COULDN'T
HEAR ANYTHING BUT THE RAIN.
WE ALL STOOD SILENTLY. NO
ONE CAME OR LEFT IN THE NEXT
FEW MINUTES.
MOM PAUSED AND THOUGHT FOR
A MOMENT ABOUT WHAT SHE
WOULD SAY. NOW SOME WOULD
LAUGH IT OFF AND SCOLD HER
FOR BEING SILLY. SOME MIGHT
EVEN IGNORE WHAT WAS SAID.
BUT THIS WAS A MOMENT OF
AFFIRMATION IN A YOUNG
CHILD'S LIFE. A TIME WHEN
INNOCENT TRUST CAN BE
NURTURED SO THAT IT WILL
BLOOM INTO FAITH.
'HONEY, YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY
RIGHT. LET'S RUN THROUGH
THE RAIN. IF GOD LET'S US
GET WET, WELL MAYBE WE
JUST NEEDED WASHING,'
MOM SAID.
THEN OFF THEY RAN. WE ALL
STOOD WATCHING, SMILING
AND LAUGHING AS THEY DARTED
PAST THE CARS AND YES,
THROUGH THE PUDDLES. THEY
HELD THEIR SHOPPING BAGS
OVER THEIR HEADS JUST IN
CASE. THEY GOT SOAKED. BUT
THEY WERE FOLLOWED BY A
FEW WHO SCREAMED AND
LAUGHED LIKE CHILDREN ALL
THE WAY TO THEIR CARS.
AND YES, I DID. I RAN. I GOT
WET. I NEEDED
WASHING....
CIRCUMSTANCES OR PEOPLE CAN
TAKE AWAY YOUR MATERIAL
POSSESSIONS, THEY CAN TAKE
AWAY YOUR MONEY, AND THEY
CAN TAKE AWAY YOUR HEALTH
. BUT NO ONE CAN EVER TAKE
AWAY YOUR PRECIOUS MEMORIES..
...SO, DON'T FORGET TO MAKE
TIME AND TAKE THE
OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE
MEMORIES EVERYDAY.
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.
IT IS SAID IT TAKES A MINUTE TO
FIND A SPECIAL PERSON, AN HOUR
TO APPRECIATE THEM, A DAY TO
LOVE THEM, BUT THEN AN ENTIRE
LIFE TO FORGET THEM. TO FORGET.
KEEP IN TOUCH WITH YOUR FAMILY
AND FRIENDS, YOU NEVER KNOW
WHEN YOU'LL NEED EACH OTHER --
AND DON'T FORGET TO RUN IN
THE RAIN!
