The Spiritual Raincoat

My beloved brown walking boots have been old friends for many years and have carried me for many miles over time. They have listened to me talking to myself on more occasions than some would call natural, and have always been up for the challenge if I decide to spontaneously add 5 miles to the journey.

Walking is my freedom and personal time to connect with my Spirit team and receive inspiration and guidance for life and work. It’s my time for clarity and reflection.

But one morning recently as I watched the rain cascading from out of the heavy clouds I shivered at the summer day that was more like winter, and put the boots back in their resting place.

I plain and simply just did not feel like getting wet.

As Fate Would Have It

But the rain kept calling me through the window, tap tapping on the glass even though I turned away more than once, when after a third calling I succumbed remembering that I have a previously abandoned hooded raincoat in a cupboard under the stairs.

Fortunate to live close to woodland I ventured out, marching my way though bright and varied tones of green that were lifted by the droplets. The smell of freshly washed new life showed me that I almost missed all of this deliciousness by pre-empting the experience before giving it a chance to weave it’s magic.

It was at this point that it occurred to me how much of life we miss for the uncertainty of facing something that we think we may not like as an experience.

Today I looked out at less than ideal conditions and decided initially to stay where it was warm and dry. Comfortable. Familiar. Safe.

I had almost missed the beauty through the absence of the sun.

Never Miss Out On Life’s Opportunities

How much of life we must miss by applying that same principle of staying where we are while waiting for conditions to change to something more favourable before venturing out?

If we wait for that perfect sunny day to give us the feeling of peace and security, what do we do with all of the days when the sun does not shine?

How many days do we hide away from life’s’ true energy feeling that if we go into a less than perfect place we may be hurt, challenged, rejected, rained on and so we stay in the safety zone, waiting for someone or something to change our life to what we feel is what we need.

I was prompted to remember that days when it rains are the also days when we may experience something unexpected, something beautiful, positive and challenging.

And there is something we can take with us for protection from the elements.

The Spiritual Raincoat

A raincoat. A spiritual raincoat that is made up of all of the teachings of our own personal lessons and experiences on our journey, sewn together by tears of love, joy, realisation, pain and gratitude.

Each piece of fabric carefully woven from what we have been shown by life’s rich tapestry and what was learned.

Our raincoat is the shelter from the storm of experience, it’s pockets filled with wisdom and knowledge given to us through realisations, revelations, understandings and the courage and strength that comes from these gifts of life.

Personal happiness like the rain is never guaranteed but if each time we step out into unknown climates with raincoat in hand, then what we may return with can be far greater than if we had stayed in the shelter waiting for the sun.