One of my favorite activities is to go for a hike in nature. Normally when we take off into the hills our little dog makes every step we do. I assure you that there is not a billy goat in the world that can climb a mountain or cross a stream with the ambition and grace that she does.

I have to say that this dog has more courage in her left toenail than most dogs twice her size. She proved this recently when we came upon a stream and water fall at the top of a mountain we were climbing. Before I could even begin to cross the stream, I saw that the little dog had jumped in head first with a smile on her face and began nipping at the fish that were swimming by.

A few weeks later, we took a vacation to the beach and in the time it took me to think about how to keep my skin from coming out looking like a piece of the Colonel’s fried chicken, the little dog had proceeded to jump into the ocean and was ready to fight Jaws head on. Luckily she decided to swim back to shore because I haven’t been able to swim in the ocean since the 1970s when I saw JAWS for the first time.

After we went back inside, I spent the next hour rubbing aloe vera on my now sunburned skin and swearing that I knew better than to go out in the sun. There’s just some places a pale white man should not go and the beach is one of them.

Later on that evening, we took the dog out for a walk down town when it began to pour the rain. I swear I could hear the rain drops sizzle when they hit my skin that had to be over 200 degrees at this point. However, I was fascinated when I saw the dog cower under a table to avoid getting rained on.

I began to laugh in thinking how ironic it was that the dog that will jump into any creek or stream with no hesitation is now afraid of getting wet in the rain. I noticed as I looked down the beach that there were people running out of the ocean and into their rooms to avoid getting rained on. I may not be the sharpest tool in the shed but if you’re in the ocean aren’t you already wet?

Why is it that we seem to avoid the rain? What is it exactly that is so horrible about walking in the rain? Unless you’re the wicked witch of the West I assure it will not harm you.

I enjoy it myself. The minute it begins to rain, I will often times run to the front yard to feel the rain on my face as the neighbors look out the windows thinking the crazy man from next door is at it again.

I went out shopping that evening and saw an older man walking on a cane and as he left the store he saw it was raining and I swear he picked up his cane and jogged to his car.

I continued to see people who appeared to have not run since grade school make mad dashes across the parking lot. All to avoid some innocent rain drops. Some of them would have really benefited from the free shower. Just saying.

The lesson I learned from this is that we should all just relax a bit and enjoy life. I’d like to discuss it more but it’s starting to rain and I need a bath anyway.