Posts
I was on my way home from the grocery store last week and passed a golf course where three men were playing golf in the rain. It was raining pretty steadily for England (unlike that monotonous drizzle they tend to have most of the time) and my first thought was, "Wow! Those are some devoted golf players!"
But then my very next thought was, "No! Those guys planned an outing today and then didn't let something silly like the weather get in their way."
Back in New Jersey, the golf course on base was packed on a sunny day. You would see a few people roaming on cloudy days, but on days like that one, the course was empty. Not one person would be out there.
That's because Americans tend to wait for the perfect moment to do things. They need the day/temperature/weather/moment to be just so. And that perfect moment is just so few and far between, that they are often left disappointed and waiting.
Not the English. They seize the moment. They don't let something small like rain get in the way of their plans. In this country, if you waited for a sunny day, you would rarely get out of the house. If you cancelled plans and stayed in because of the rain, you would be a hermit. It makes for a miserable life- always chasing the perfect moment and missing the joy of living in the process. Who says the perfect moment can't be wrapped in rain?
When the sun comes out, the Brits will alter their plans and go outside to enjoy it. They have the ability to stop the incessant moving from which Americans are guilty. Americans are perpetually in motion, but our English cousins can stop what they are doing, go outside in the sun, have a relaxing cup of tea (or a pint) and just be still.
So the next time you have plans but wake to a rainy forecast, consider keeping them. Instead of groaning, think of it as an unexpected embellishment to your day. Go ahead and play golf/go to the outdoor market/visit a historical property/take a hike. You never know what joys await you when you seize the moment.
Even if that moment is wearing a slicker and wellies.
That was one thing that people told us coming here.. Make plans and don't look at the weather... Or you will never get out and do things. Paige says they go outside at school even when it is pouring rain. In America they would keep them inside. I see people walking their dogs even in the pouring rain. Such a different world here. Great note!
ReplyDeleteThat was one thing that people told us coming here.. Make plans and don't look at the weather... Or you will never get out and do things. Paige says they go outside at school even when it is pouring rain. In America they would keep them inside. I see people walking their dogs even in the pouring rain. Such a different world here. Great note!
ReplyDelete