The Art of Getting Wet
There is an exhibit at The Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) in New York City that encourages men, women and children to stand, walk and dance in the rain. And, if cautious, you will not even get wet.
Wait…what?
Being surrounded by rain without getting wet is a groundbreaking phenomenon, but there is still something pretty wonderful about feeling those raindrops. Kids know this better than anybody. They instinctively get it.
Imagine that you are trying to catch a cab for a meeting in the city in pouring rain as your umbrella is flailing around in the wind like a dog wagging a chew toy. All the while you’re dressed to the nines to impress. Frustrating would be putting it gently. And yet, why are we angry? Is it really because of the rain?
No, it’s not the rain. It’s the meeting.
Hearing the rain while you sleep is a tranquil experience and being caught in a sudden downpour can be refreshing and oddly relaxing. It’s the sky’s way of giving you a timeout. A break from reality. Take a deep breath, close your eyes and spread your arms out wide and feel the stress drip away drop by drop. In a peculiar sense, rain serves as a personal rejuvenation.
And the best kind of rain is random. When we expect and plan for it, it becomes work. When we don’t see it coming and it arrives in the seconds it takes to glance up to the heavens, then it’s glorious. Depending on your mindset, it can feel like it’s right on cue. And yes, within those rain drops can be despair and heartbreak. However, they can also be filled with love, humor, fun, clarity, reflection or those desperately needed moments to exhale, “aaahhh.”
MOMA, in the heat of the summer, decided to offer its patrons and random museum-goers time to step into the “rain” by stepping out of their daily routine and Monday-Tuesday-Wednesday and Thursday self’s.
Maybe, just maybe, it’s raining because someone deep down wants and needs to splash in a puddle or two.
Think of it as your, “Big” moment. Well, in reverse.
Happy 4th of July!
237 years ago, our nation’s founders dared to declare independence from the British. We can never forget their courage, bravery and incomparable vision for the country that became The United States of America. As we all celebrate with our communities on this day filled with joyous patriotism and elation of freedom through spectacular parades and illustrious fireworks, let’s remember how and when this country was founded.
Happy 4th of July/Independence Day!!
And enjoy the fireworks tonight!
“Independence Day” Heard ‘Round the Universe
Tomorrow is July 4th. Tomorrow is the day the people of The United States of America will actively celebrate our nation’s Declaration of Independence.
Today, however, is when the American people will once again get mid-Summer chills from arguably The Greatest 4th of July Speech ever given. The time has arrived for Bill Pullman, I mean President Thomas J. Whitmore, to inspire us all about freedom and our Independence Day!
This is the Presidential speech Americans will be tuning into today and tomorrow.
Head in the Clouds
Nothing.
I’ve been trying to think of something to write about, but nothing is coming to mind. It’s downright perplexing. Hmm? Perhaps what I need to do is “space out” for a little while to clear my head. Alright, let’s give this a try.
Convention dictates I should be laying outside in a field or at the top of a grassy hill while gazing up at clouds shaped like Abraham Lincoln or a spaceship (is that cloud just shaped like a spaceship or…). The past few days have provided us folks in Columbus, Ohio with some of the most majestic cloud formations to date this year, which is a sign for great potential to finally clear my head and get focused.
The childhood exercise of staring openly into the vast sky is not only relaxing, but remarkably sedative. Vague images of favorite characters and entire cities in the sky spark our imaginations to run wild and see things we never thought possible…or, quite frankly, never knew we were capable of seeing.
The clouds, though thousands of feet above us, appear so intimately close sometimes. And, in addition to their surreal proximity, their density is also continuously called into question. Can these cloud formations, that have been looking like grand kingdoms lately, really hold no weight at all?
Are clouds simply an imaginative mirage?
Do you see a spaceship? The girl of your dreams? Heaven?
Despite the literal composition of clouds, one thing is certain: we will never know what they are truly made of until we fill our heads with them.
P.S. This music will help in your daydreaming journey:
P.P.S. Trust your instincts on seeing a spaceship…really!
Jimmy's Daily Planet 