The Mercy of Rain

The story behind Chapter 4, The Mercy of Rain

I've always seen rain as a symbol of grief, as if the earth herself were crying. What I've come to see now is rain is actually a sign that growth is happening. Muddy, unseen, deep within-the-ground kind of growth. It's when the rose bush pauses her blooms above to focus on her roots below. Our growth is like this, too; some seasons are filled with sunny days and flowers, and some are filled with rain and tears and putting one foot in front of the other. And although we would never choose the rain, I've come to find there is a mercy hidden within the storm. 

I started this chapter last summer when an enormous amount of external growth had happened over a 3-month period, and I was terrified that if I slowed down, I would lose everything. What I didn't realize is that the fruit I produce above the surface is a direct reflection of the quality of my roots. In other words, if you want to grow taller, you must first grow deeper. 

And this kind of growth is anything but glamorous. It's confusing and painful, filled with testing and heartbreak. It's when life hands us too many things at once, and we suddenly become acutely aware of all the areas we lack, both privately and publicly. And right when we've come to the edge of ourselves, a peculiar mercy shows up in the form of tears. Like the earth, it's in the watering of our souls that the ground softens, and suddenly, the hidden things below–like resilience, patience, selfless love, and empathy–are able to grow deeper.

If you find yourself in the storm, remember the mercy of the rain is that it's in the downpour, the softening of our hearts, and the digging down deep within our souls that beautiful things begin to grow—a spark of new life emerging from the darkness.