By Kristen Hammond
Staff Columnist
What is it about the rain that is so romantic? Some of the most romantic moments have been in the rain, i.e. Nicholas Sparks’ “The Notebook.” It’s, almost, every girls dream to get a kiss in the pouring rain. When the rain starts, we want to put away our lives for just a moment and just snuggle up with our significant others…but why?
Is it the fact that the weather gives you an excuse to forget about your to-do list, stay inside and unwind or does the sound of rain hitting the window and the rumble of thunder really do something to our hearts?
I tried to go to my boyfriend’s house for the hurricane, but by the time we left, the storm was too bad and we were forced to stay. After stocking up on enough food to last us a few days, we brought our beds into the common room of my suite and hunkered down. And for the first time in I don’t know how long, we got to spend some actual time together instead of sitting in the same space doing work, which happens far too often for my liking.
We turned off our computers, turned down the lights, got in bed and talked. And I mean actually talked. Not just about our days or the news or upcoming homework and weekend plans.
We talked about us, about life, about nothing. We laughed, we wondered, we listened. Sometimes, we didn’t say anything at all.
There is something so beautiful to be said about lying in the arms of the person you love in a storm, drowning out the world together.
But why does it take Mother Nature and a rainstorm to force us to pause our lives and just be together? I think it is due to the constant clutter of daily life and the glorification of being busy. There is so much talking throughout the day via texts, Facebook, Tweets, and blogs, but there is such a lack of actual communication between people.
Do you remember the last time you had a real conversation with someone without multitasking on your phone or Facebook? Our life is in constant motion and because of this, we have lost the beauty of real connections and the skill of communication. I believe that the rain makes us slow down-it makes us a little lazier, a little slower.
We want to slip on our jammies, make some tea and cuddle. When we slow down, we can actually make these connections. I don’t know what exactly it is about the rain, but I truly believe it can break down some personal barriers and help words come out easier-but maybe I’m just a romantic.
Instead of waiting for a rainy day to watch a movie with a friend or significant other, I suggest calling them and setting up a “catch up” date for somewhere in the near future. Don’t let the weather dictate when to spend days in with friends.
Zooming out the lens a little, there is no question that Hurricane Sandy has brought turmoil and hardship for many families in New York and New Jersey.
Our hearts and helping hands go out to those victims in their time of need. People are volunteering their time, effort, and charity to people who have nothing right now. Our lives fly by us and it’s a shame it takes something like this to remind us of the love we feel for others.