The college experience at UO is mostly characterized by rain coats, umbrellas and wet shoes. By the end of winter term, walking to class on a rainy day becomes routine. The best purchase a student makes is probably waterproof shoe spray so their socks actually stay dry throughout the day. The rain can easily become a student’s enemy. However, it can also become something really beautiful.
The rain transforms the atmosphere into a poetic and magical palace during the winter. Eugene is framed by beautiful conifer and frosted oak hills that, during a rain shower, create its own unique scents, colors and music. There is nothing more soothing than the sound of raindrops on a window while working hard on an assignment. The smell of oak trees and pine cones in the rain makes my day every single time. The rain creates endless opportunities to find the unperceived beauty of our home.
When I first arrived in Eugene, the rain was a bit hard to get used to. Since I lived in Peru for most of my life, I had never owned a raincoat and was used to year-round, 70-degree weather. Who knew biking in the rain while wearing glasses would be so hard? I was frustrated by the idea that I had to spend four years of my life dreading the winter. So, if you are having a rough time dealing with the rain, I can definitely sympathize.
However, I eventually understood that the rain was not an inconvenience. I learned to fall in love with it.
Rain can represent life. There is an Inca legend I have always felt is a wonderful explanation of the rain. Illapa, the god of thunder and rain, was considered one of the most important gods in Andean mythology. Legend has it that Illapa, dressed in a golden suit and precious jewels, carried a slingshot. He would fill a pitcher with water from the Milky Way and launch a projectile with his slingshot that would produce thunder, lighting and rain. The Incas believed he would play the music that made trees come to life and made stones laugh whenever he was seen on earth. He was loved and adored by all the gods and creators.
Every time I take a walk in the rain, I remember it’s the essence of our ecosystem. It’s the reason we have such beautiful scenery throughout Oregon. What could be more powerful than that? My big tip of the day is: Put on your raincoat and head out for a walk or a hike. Absorb the majestic beauty and power of the rain.
However, I also understand that not everybody loves the outdoors. But that is why the rain is so perfect. It is also a great excuse to cuddle up with a warm blanket and drink hot cocoa while watching a movie. Maybe even start that book your relatives gave you for Christmas two years ago and never read. The sounds that millions of raindrops make while air and wind resist their free fall are the perfect background music for both.
At the end of the day, I am a firm believer that “bad weather” doesn’t actually exist, only bad attitudes about the weather. We choose how to see the world, and I choose to love the rain.
