Trying to Stop the Rain

              As I have written in my past article, I have said that happiness is solely depends only on our environment. Well, it's so very temporal that I saw another proof of it this week. I am so in love with the rain, that even it's raining hardly here in the Philippines, I was still able to relax myself in watching news while eating piatos. Not that I also enjoy watching families being washed away by floods and forcefully evacuated from their lovely homes. It's in another context. Rain reminds me of my childhood memories. The cold breeze of the air, the ambiance of the surroundings, the sound of raindrops in the roof, everything associated with it seems inspiring to me. And that makes me happy.
             But as I am about to go to sleep the evening yesterday, a friend whom I am acquainted with texted me saying, "Bumaha sa amin hanggang bewang, ayoko ng ganito. Sana tumigil na ang ulan yung iba tuwang tuwa pa, nakakainis yung ganun." ( we were flooded ,almost waistline, I hate situations like this, hope the rain will stop. Some seems happy, it's so provoking.) I honestly was being hit by that message. Though I know that it was supposed for everyone because it is a group message,I felt like I was the one she was addressing. Before the message, I am sending messages every now and then about what rain seems to me. And so that makes me think she's targeting me with that.
              Well, before anything else, I am not guilty. I just want for all of us to know what our attitudes can accomplish with different situations we are facing in our lives. Most of the time, we are annoyed, aggravated or provoked. And in those times we almost forget to celebrate good things that we have. The Philippines is located in what geographers called the pacific ring of fire, thus making us the pathway of many typhoons and tropical storms. What shall we do? Migrate in some country where freedom is not that significant? To Finland where the temperature drops to almost negative degrees? Blame God that He had placed us in this location? Or what? Every occurrences has an associated effects to us. It's so natural to express feelings, but it's not natural to resent the feelings of others. If your neighbor is happy because he has a new television, be it. Don't expect him to be sad just because you are using your old rusty television.
               What Am I trying to point here? Way back the story I have shared. This friend of mine got provoked because some people are happy. It seems like she wanted everyone to get sad because they were flooded. Does it right? No, because happiness is a matter of geography. Some are sad because they become the victim of the devastating monsoon. But some are happy because they get fresh sleeps because of the cold weather which seldom experienced in the country. The matter here is acceptance and attitude. If you are  just going to accept your situation in rational way, then you will be happy indeed (like the others), and that's what we called rejoicing. After all, the situation does not cause you death. Some of us always try to change everything, even the world. But changing the world will not change your character in facing trials either unless you do it yourself. As a Pastor close to my heart wrote: "Do not try to change the world, change yourself first." And it's so much true. Trying to change the situation will not do anything, but trying to accept what happens will make a big difference. Everything is always a matter of attitude and acceptance.So, if you find yourself in cloudy situations where the rain is about to ruin you, do not try to stop the rain, enjoy it! That's the best thing you can do. Keep calm and dance in the rain.