Rainy days and Mondays


 

"Rainy days and Mondays always get me down." - Karen Carpenter
Since today was both a rainy day (in Utah) and a Monday (most everywhere), this song came to mind. It's a rather depressing set of lyrics made famous in 1971 by Karen Carpenter.
Talkin' to myself and feelin' old
Sometimes I'd like to quit, nothin' ever seems to fit
Hangin' around, nothin' to do but frown
Rainy days and Mondays always get me down
What I've got they used to call the blues
Nothin' is really wrong, feelin' like I don't belong
Walkin' around, some kind of lonely clown
Rainy days and Mondays always get me down
The song does show a glimmer of hope when it talks about finding some relief from the blues with "the one who loves me," but even Karen's lovely, lilting voice can't rescue the gloom of the overall message.
I choose to disagree! First of all, when you're retired, there's no need to be depressed by a Monday. When I was younger, Monday signaled the end of the freedom of the weekend and the return to the drudgery of work - not the best day. But now, Monday is the beginning of another chance to do just about whatever I want, and what could be wrong with that??
And second - when you live in a desert, like we do in Utah, there's no way you can feel bad about a rainy day either. Each bit of precipitation signals growth, blooming, renewal, beauty, relief, hope - nothing sad about any of that.
But this is a good indication of an important principle. There are many ways to perceive a given set of circumstances! A rainy day could be very frustrating if you had an outdoor reception planned. But it could be a godsend if you are a farmer needing moisture for your livelihood. The interpretation of the event depends on our personal circumstance and our personal free will.
I #GiveThanks for the chance to choose a happy interpretation whenever I possibly can! Sure, a rainy day might prevent some activities - but might it also enable others that have unexpected or unplanned benefits? We can choose to make the best of the situation.

 


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