"Rain Rain go away, come again another day, little Johnny wants to play" - how many of us recited this poem at school? And how many of us recited this poem in India(!) And after reciting that poem in K.G. we grew up and learnt in 'social studies' that India is primarily an agricultural economy. And that the farmers largely depend on rain.
This poem was probably brought into India by the Brits. At some places they have actually gone a step ahead and added another line 'Rain rain go to Spain, do not show your face again'. Notwithstanding the fact that many of them themselves actually go away to Spain to satisfy the craving for sun.
Human nature is self contradictory. We long for something "different" and when we do have it for some time, we long to go back to familiar circumstances. We had a first hand experience of this in Ireland last week. It was a full week of Sun. Seven consecutive sunny days are as rare in Ireland as a summer below 30 degrees in India - a practical impossibility. We were delirious with joy until about the fifth day. On the sixth day, fear started creeping up - 'How long is the sunshine going to last - lets make the most of it while its here.' And finally when it rained yesterday, many of us were 'Ah, thank God, it's the same old Ireland' - though I am sure there will be very few who will confess to this. It's unfashionable to love the weather in Ireland.
Our car being what it is, was resting in a garage yesterday (timing!) and I had forgotten my umbrella at home (timing again!). And yet, my Indian soul, one which had, in past, enjoyed rainy days on my apartment ('flat' for US and India) terrace, thoroughly enjoyed walking in the rain back from my daughters' creche draped in a plastic 'poncho' (google image if you don't know what it means). I must have looked silly, since the last baby in the baby room had his eyes wide open with amazement when he looked at me. But it didn't matter - the familiar rain was back and for once, I was loving it. And sitting within her rain covered buggy, so was my daughter.
It doesn't matter what the weather outside is, really. It is the weather inside that counts.
