Glenn Stewart Coles, 9251 Yonge Street, Suite 8-924, Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada, L4C 9T3
Text Box: Arley was a little boy who did not like rain. It was cold and wet and stung his face. It left big puddles that soaked his feet, and it prevented him from going outside to play. Every morning when he woke up, Arley would say to himself ‘I hope it doesn’t rain, I hope it doesn’t rain’. Of course, sometimes when he opened his eyes, it was raining outside, and Arley wondered why he was being punished this way. One sunny day, Arley met a little girl named Aida. She was skipping and laughing as she danced through the field with a flower in her hand. She saw Arley standing under a tree, and called out to him ‘Aren’t you going to come out and play? It is such a beautiful day!’ Arley pointed at a cloud way off on the horizon. ‘I would like to play, but I can’t because it might rain’. Aida smiled and kept on playing. The next day it actually was raining, and Arley was sad. Despite all of his wishing, the rain had come anyway, and Arley knew that the gods did not listen to his prayers. He looked out his window at the horrible weather, and to his dismay, he saw Aida dancing in the field. He wondered if she was crazy, and realized that perhaps she needed his help. He got dressed, donning boots and a sweater and a coat and a hat, and ventured out onto the field to rescue Aida. When he got there, before he had a chance to say anything, Aida spoke to him. ‘I am so glad that you came out to play. It is such a beautiful day.’ Arley was confused, and told her so. ‘It is not beautiful, it is a horrible day’, he said with conviction. Aida just laughed, and raised her arms as she danced in a circle. ‘Don’t you know that the rain brings the flowers? Don’t you realize that rain is god’s gift of life?’ Arley shook his head and walked away. He went back inside, away from the rain and away from the strange little girl with the mixed up priorities. He knew that he was right, and that once again the rain was going to ruin his day. He looked out the window one more time, and muttered to himself, ‘I sure hope that it doesn’t rain tomorrow’. © Copyright Glenn Stewart Coles, 2005 First Published June 26, 2004

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Rain Child

 

Aren’t you going to come out and play? It is such a beautiful day!