The journey of a raindrop is incredible. It originated somewhere far off, as a droplet of water. Then, under the heat of the sun, it ceased to exist, evaporating as vapor, rising up, up, beyond reach, where it is cooled down again into a droplet of water. Eventually, it forms clouds, travels hundreds of miles, and ends its journey in a completely different place to where it began.

The process of the water cycle is something that you learn in third grade. What I didn't learn until very recently is the symbolic importance of rain, at least in my life.

Contrary to the rhyme "rain, rain, go away", I welcome, and even look forward to a downpour. Sure, it has its negatives - I despise wet shoes and socks more than anyone else on earth - but the good things outweigh the bad ones by far.

Whether it be freezing cold or boiling hot weather, the onset of rain creates this serene atmosphere. It's the calm before the onset of the storm. Yet, despite knowing that in just a short amount of time I would be running for shelter, there is a certain relaxing sensation. In those moments, I sit out on a bench and truly appreciate nature, as well as the little things in life.

Gradually, the sky becomes overcast. Somewhere in the background, there is a loud rumbling, a sign of warning. I close my eyes, and surrender myself to it. Soon, a drop falls. Then another. And another. Eventually, it's pouring. I run.

Suddenly, I stop. I stand there looking up into the sky, as the droplets of water kept pouring down upon me. For a moment, I stood still, just soaking in the beauty of nature. Then, panic hit me and I continued running for shelter. My shoes were mini swimming pools due to the amount of water they had taken in. I stumble into my room, shivering and dripping everywhere. As I begin to dry myself off, I begin playing some music on Spotify. I open the windows, and suddenly the room is full of the pitter-patter of rainfall. I make myself a cup of hot chocolate and wrap myself in a warm blanket, and slowly doze off.

The thundering rains possess the blissful touch of Morpheus, softly lulling you to sleep. At that moment, you can truly appreciate the beauty of rain. And then, you look to the window, and you see tiny droplets of water, slowly sliding down the pane. You're at peace.

Next day, you wake up to see a bright day. As you venture outside, you notice something different, but you can't quite seem to place your finger on it. You look around, and everything seems brighter, cleaner, more vibrant. You take a deep breath. The air still smells of rain. You look up to the sky and smile. It is a smile of happiness, but also of sadness, of longing, as you eagerly await its return. Till next time.