“April showers bring May flowers.” It is a familiar saying that we recite to ourselves after days of rainy spring weather to remind us that even the ugly days serve a purpose. I often find myself repeating this when I feel the metaphoric storms over my head, keeping in mind that these rain showers bring forth new, beautiful life.
The stress of work, love, friendships and daily life can really take a toll on emotional and mental health. It is easy to start feeling like the burden of it all will cause you to drown. Some troubles can feel never ending leaving us depressed, anxious and impulsive. We may even begin to look for temporary relief from the storm by abusing alcohol or drugs.
But even the bad days are valuable. If there were no rough winds, hard times and feelings of sadness, we would not blossom into the strong, beautiful person we are today. Our trials help us grow. They make the sunny days special, and we become a little stronger after each storm.
Without the rain, there would be no tropical rainforest, full of color, diversity and beauty. Life does not flourish in a dry, sunny desert. Without a rainy April, May would be barren.
So, when it feels like it is constantly raining, and we feel we are about to drown in our troubles, just remember: Rain is essential to life, and so are our struggles. It is impossible for a beautiful flower to exist with no rain and constant sunshine; it will dry out. Instead of letting the stormy weather provoke depression and anxiety, and stress over when the sun will shine again, just remember that these showers cultivate beauty, growth and life.
