Rainy Day Happiness

It's raining today.  In Southern California (SoCal) that's a rarity.  When I lived in Philly and New York it rained or snowed most days in the winter and some days in the summer.  I now live in Southern California where it rains a few days in the winter and no days in the summer.  Because it rains so little, a cold rainy day makes me happy.

When I worked, I loved it when it rained on a Sunday.  I could cuddle with my blankie and watch football all day long.  I didn't have to walk the dog because it's raining (she has her own pee pee pad outside).  I could turn on my fireplace for the first time in a year.  I could stop my hectic life and just veg out.  Vegging out a few times a year makes me happy.

Some people feel sad on a rainy day.  My son worked in Portland for a year and had to quit and come back to SoCal because the rainy and cloudy days made him depressed.  I knew he had enough when he sent me an email with the subject: "it just doesn't stop."  However, I spent many rainy days in Portland and lived for a year in Amsterdam where I was happy.

In case you don't know, it rains almost all winter in Amsterdam.  You see the sun only a very few days.  Sooo, how come the Dutch are a happy people?

The answer is simple, when you are happy inside it doesn't matter what the weather is.  Some of the nicest and happiest people live in Minnesota where it snows all winter long.

When you live in a bad weather city, you realize that everybody is in the same boat with you.  You realize that if it makes you happy living in that city (because of family, friends, job, etc.) the weather is not a significant factor to your happiness.

The people who live in SoCal are blessed with great weather. However, in general, SoCal people are not happier than people in Portland, Minnesota, Amsterdam, etc.

One reason is that SoCal people are spoiled.  They see the sun so often that when a rainy day happens, they get sad.  If they lived in a bad weather city and came to SoCal, they are so appreciative of the good weather that they don't get sad when the weather is bad.

The second reason is the most important.  People that live in SoCal and get sad when the weather is bad are people who are sad when the sun is out.  People that live in the bad weather in Amsterdam who are sad are people who are sad when the weather in Amsterdam is great.  I could go on, but I believe you get the message.

Positive energy begets positive energy.  negative energy begets negative energy.  If you truly believe that saying, then you know that the people who get sad during bad weather are the source of negative energy and the people who are happy on a cold rainy day are the source of positive energy.

WHICH ONE ARE YOU!!!