No matter where you live, you have a choice to make. You will bemoan the changing of each season or you will celebrate it. I am a big believer in the celebration. Fall in Vancouver, British Columbia brings a promise of colourful leaves, crisp mornings, white caps on the waves, and the advent of the rainy seasons to come.
I understand that in the far north, the Inuit people have many words for snow and ice. Each word indicates an overt or sometimes subtle difference in the snow and ice. It could reflect the conditions or qualities within the ice and snow. As a Vancouverite, we see snow as fluffy which translates into not good for snowballs but very pretty. There is “perfect snowball” weather which translates into good for building snow people, forts and snowballs. Then there is wet snow which is horrific for driving in and is generally a wet, soggy mess. There is slippy ice we can see and black ice that forms a slick surface and is hazardous on foot and in the car. Our vocabulary around ice and snow is pretty basic.
Vancouver is an amazing place to live and is a popular tourist destination because of the oceans, the rivers, the lakes, the mountains and the green. Basically it is amazing because of the water. It provides an astounding range of things to do and a diversity of plants and animals in our own backyards. It is a place that beckons us to “Get Outside”. The reality is this amazing city exists because we live in a temperate rainforest. The temperature remains mild throughout most of the year. We don’t have snow and ice very often so we don’t really see the nuanced differences. What we know is rain. Throughout the year, it sprinkles, floats down water, drizzles, mists, showers, rains, rains cats and dogs, pours, and sleets. I challenge you to add to the list of words and expressions to describe our plentiful precipitation.
The question that always comes up is what to do when it rains. One option is to just stay inside. I must admit, I love a rainy day when I can curl up with a good book and a pot of tea. However this is just not a feasible everyday option. Life goes on, even on a rainy day. We have places to go and a body that requires activity to be healthy. I believe there are three understandings to be ready for the rain.
Number 1: Wardrobe Matters If you are warm and dry, you are ready for anything.
The standards include:
A waterproof coat, preferably with a hood. This allows maximum flexibility to enjoy being outdoors.
Boots. There will be puddles.
An umbrella. I have purchased many and have left them all over the city. I worked at Lost Property for Metro Transit when I was in university and there were hundreds of umbrellas of every size and colour left on busses. Guess what the most common colour was abandoned in the Lost Property Department? Yes, a plethora of black unmrellas filled the back room.
Number 2: Attitude Matters Regardless of how miserably you complain, it will rain.
If you choose to be miserable because it is raining, you are committing yourself to a lot of bad days. When you frown at the world, it frowns back. Smile and make a rainy day plan. You have to know that I’m smiling as I write this. My mother’s words remain with me ????
Number 3: Observe Rainy Day Life Life in the rain is different. Not better or worse, just different.
Just after my daughter’s 6th birthday, we went traveling in Italy. A torrential downpour hit one evening in Venice. People ran for cover. Our family was the only one strolling down the street and delighted with the break from the perpetual heat. My daughter looked up at me and said “Oh, Mommy. It smells like home.”
It did. And it was glorious!
Perspective is everything. Expect rain. When it comes, dress appropriately and venture outdoors. Adapt your activities to accommodate the changes. Running on wet concrete can be a problem. Find another option. Going for a walk under a big umbrella is a good option. Open your eyes and look for changes. One of the first songs I learned in kindergarten at Queen Mary Elementary School from Mrs. Hicks was “Robin in the Rain.” There is a reason there is a song about it. Look how the plants and animals respond with joy to the rain. Close your eyes and take a big breath and try to describe it. Look up and notice how the clouds change.
Expect that almost every day is a day to go outside to improve your mental health, your physical health, your perspective and your creativity. And smile about it ????
Wild About Vancouver Wednesday. This weekly blog post explores outdoor, experiential learning and all of the possibilities to explore in Vancouver, British Columbia.
