I don’t know where you’re living, but where I am there’s nothing but rain. Michigan weather can be ridiculously unpredictable at times, but every single day this week has been the same. (Okay, to be fair, it hasn’t rained yet today, but it’s still cold, it’s still rained every other day this week, and it looks like next week will be the same.)

It makes it hard to get stuff done, and if you’re like me, it makes you feel gloomy, too. I guess they don’t kid around when they say “April showers.”

It reminds me of this poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow:

The Rainy Day

The day is cold, and dark, and dreary;
It rains, and the wind is never weary;
The vine still clings to the mouldering wall,
But at every gust the dead leaves fall,
And the day is dark and dreary.

My life is cold, and dark, and dreary;
It rains, and the wind is never weary;
My thoughts still cling to the mouldering past,
But the hopes of youth fall thick in the blast,
And the days are dark and dreary.

Be still, sad heart, and cease repining;
Behind the clouds is the sun still shining;
Thy fate is the common fate of all,
Into each life some rain must fall,
Some days must be dark and dreary.

I like this poem a lot, and the main reason is that although the first two stanzas sound really depressing, once you get to the third one you realize that the poem itself is quite encouraging.

Some days (in Michigan’s case, weeks) are going to be gloomy. And there’s nothing we can do about it, except remember that the sun is out there, somewhere behind the clouds. We can’t control the weather, but at least we can control our outlook on life. Besides, if every single day were sunny and bright, I don’t think we would appreciate those days as much as the first sunny day after a period of rain. I guess this way we don’t take the sun for granted.

And hopefully we’ll get a lot of nice flowers because of the rain. 🙂

I personally have a really hard time with gloomy weather because it affects my mood. It may have something to do with SAD; I’m not sure. But whatever it is, the lack of sun gets me feeling rather depressed. When this happens, it helps just to remember sunnier days of the past or look at pictures of tropical places I’d one day like to visit. I have a calendar on my desk with a photo of a tropical island for each day. I also have vivid memories of my trip two years ago to Florida. This might sound silly, but if I try hard enough, I can almost feel the sunlight on my back.

It reminds me a lot of the book Frederick, by Leo Lionni. You can read more about the book here. It’s a children’s picture book, and it’s very nice. I would definitely recommend reading it. It’s quite inspirational and the pictures are beautiful.

At any rate, I think if we can just look past the rain and remember those warm, sunny days we’ve had, we can make it through the gloominess. Just try not to let those dark days get you down. Here’s to brighter days in the future!

I read this poem once, and I wish I could remember what it was called, or at least who wrote it. I can’t even remember how it went exactly. But the reason I bring it up is that one thing stood out, and that one thing is something I’ll never forget, something that I’ll keep in mind for the rest of my life. Whether I’m giving a speech, talking to my friend, or writing an email. It doesn’t matter. That poem had a beautiful way of saying it, and it was something to the extent of this:

 Every word that comes out of your mouth is like an arrow shot through the air. You don’t know where it will land, and it could easily pierce someone’s heart.

Sometimes we say things too quickly, without bothering to think about how someone will feel. You could carelessly toss a word away, thinking nothing of it, but to someone else it might mean a great deal. Maybe you say something, thinking it’s a joke, but your friend doesn’t feel that way at all.

I’m not saying that you have to think carefully about every single word that comes out of your mouth. But just be aware that what you say might affect someone, even if you don’t think much of it.

I was taught in elementary school – and I’m sure you’ve heard it at some point in your life – the golden rule. Treat others the way you want to be treated.

But here’s the thing: what might not affect you might affect someone else. Maybe you wouldn’t mind if someone made a joke about the way you look or speak or act, but maybe someone else would mind. But… how the heck are you supposed to know what the other person is thinking? You can’t read minds. How do you know if what you say will make someone feel bad or not?

Obviously no one is perfect. No one expects you to be. But as you talk to people, as you talk to your friends… you notice what people’s personalities are like. Especially among people you know really well or are close to – you know if someone is more sensitive than you are, you know if someone will be able to handle the joke or not. And if you’re not sure… then maybe it’s best not to say it.

Choose your words carefully… try to anticipate where the arrow will land.

But you know something? It’s true the other way around, too. Maybe you say “hello” to someone, just to be polite, but to that person, it means a lot more than just “hello.” I know for a fact that my friends have done seemingly small favors for me, but those favors have meant a lot to me.

A birthday gift, a letter, a small handwritten note… they all mean a lot. A kind word from someone can mean a lot too.

I think you have a choice with your words: either you can shoot arrows, or you can bestow unexpected gifts. It’s up to you.