It's been raining the past few days off and on. I find the rain soothing...

   I stood out in it for a while and let my thoughts run its hamster wheel. 

   I closed my eyes as the rain fell against my face then I opened them and just watched the rain fall onto the oak across the street. I watched how the leaves were kissed by the drops of rain and how the drops bounced against the street pavement and then how the grass sucked it in...

   I thought of the things that troubled my mind then I changed my focus into what I'm grateful for. 

   Things may not always be at their best, but there's always something to be grateful for. And just because it rains or storms, doesn't mean the sun will never shine again...

   We need the rain to appreciate the sun. As in life, it's the down times that makes us appreciate the good so much more.

   I cry with the rain, yet I smile with it too. 

If that makes sense...

   I'm not really smiling today if I'm being honest. But I didn't cry with the rain either. Not at that moment. I just took it in, felt it for a while.

   I wanna smile, but I'm just not feeling it. It's ok though, we can't always be smiling every time. But like a guarantee of the sun shining after the rain, smiles return...

   I think about the people I love dearly and if they're not smiling, neither than I. Is that silly? I don't think so, not for me anyways. I think I want their smiles more than my own, because when they're smiling, it means they're happy and that in turn makes me happy. 

To hear them laugh, it makes my heart smile. And when they're hurting or in pain, so am I. And all I wanna do is hold them so close to me, so tight and take their pain away. If it was possible, I'd take it and bare it all just so they wouldn't have to themselves... But I can't...

   But you know what? I see their strength and capabilities in them more than they may see it in themselves. I see warriors, kings and queens. I see their beauty and their grace and most of all, I see their light even when they may not see it or it may have dimmed from life's troubles and challenges. And that light is fueled by love. For those who hold love have a light that is always lit from within them. And if I can remind them, help them see it and even give my light to light them up brighter than myself, I'll do my best to give it to them.

   Those I love are my world, my breath, my warmth, my beating heart and I'll do anything for them...

   ...I'm just rambling here...

   It's starting to rain again. I think I'll go take a walk through the park or by the lake for a while. Smell the rain, feel the rain, listen to it, watch it fall onto the trees and whatever else is around and just breathe in life...

   ...Until next time, I hope you smile...