February 10, 2010

walking in the rain

i've always loved that saying. to me, it says a lot about life and our experiences. one of my most vivid experiences with that thought is when i was in high school and dating my 'to-be' husband/high school sweetheart. it was in the fall and the state fair was in town. i was giddy at the thought of holding my sweetheart's hand, walking through the sawdust, kissing at the top of the ferris wheel, sharing a cotton candy and perhaps, him winning me a cute stuff animal. the night came and so did the rains, almost as soon as we arrived at the fairgrounds. 

needless to say, i was crushed. absolutely crushed. my upbringing was pretty strict and i only got to have date night on friday nights by my parent's decree - their logic was that it was a safer night. (ha!) i gazed longingly out at the midway - my sweetheart gritted his teeth and insisted we walk in the rain. to me, it was one of the most romantic thing ever.

it was dashing around the puddles, huddling under tents and sharing a caramel apple. it was kissing him in the rain - it was him paying $25 to win me a silly stuffed cat, it was the tinsel of a foolish girl's dream. my mom simply smiled when i got home - she had her own rainsoaked evening with my father to recall.

conversely the next day, my sweetheart told me how his shoes were ruined and he caught a cold. i should have known then how it would all turn out. *chuckle* that's what happens when you mix a hopeful romantic with a logical, practical, to the point kinda guy.

31 comments:

  1. i love that saying too!
    happy wednesday to you Char!

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  2. oh, this is good.....no this is a great story/memory ! and if only he had stayed around to see that logical and silly mixed together is what makes the world stay balanced.....

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  3. What a great, great story! There's nothing like walking in the rain.

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  4. Romance drowned by practicality...isn't that the way of it sometimes? :)

    Interesting theory about Friday being a safer night to go on a date....lol!

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  5. what a romantic story! here you would be walking in the snow.

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  6. Aaahhh...don't you just love those excited flutters one gets at the start of something special...At least you have this wonderful memory...sounds like you need to hang out at a Skydiving Club...there are some REALLY spontanious guys there who'll tickle your fancy!!!
    Loved the story...when's your book being published by the way????
    HUGS
    Char.

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  7. Oh that was fun, The things we see after the fact.
    Funny how our parents have their ideas, such as Friday night being safer, my Dad used to think only city kids got in trouble. lol. Thanks for sharing that brought back a memory of me being on a ride, I can't remember the name, but it spun round and round, the guy I was with he screamed the whole time, but not just a scream, like a crazy lost your mind scream. To this day I don't like rides, I think due to that, sorry about going on and on. Have a great day.

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  8. Love the quote as well and that was a wonderful story.

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  9. That's the first time I've heard this quote - love it and your story!

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  10. I could have guessed that you were one of those people that walk in the rain, my dear. :)

    xo,
    -maria

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  11. rain and romance...a good mixture? i think so...

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  12. I think Media dictates a lot of what we THINK romance consists of, but for me, any slight act of love from my partner can be a sign of great romance to me. Taking care of me while I was very pregnant and very sick and cleaning up after me when I couldn't make it to the bathroom...that is romantic in a way also...although I'd take walking in the rain any day over being very pregnant and sick...hahahaha...

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  13. too funny... I am the practical one and my husband is the risk taker. I find myself having to remind myself to lighten up.

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  14. My husband is the practical one. And I love walking in the rain.

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  15. what a great memory retold. thanks for sharing. it IS fun to walk in the rain when you have a hand to hold.

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  16. I love the rain, I don't walk in it nearly enough.

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  17. This is so wonderful. Would love to kiss my hubby in the rain someday - it just had never happened, alas.

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  18. totally romantic.... & I love it! gorgeous shot, too!
    xx

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  19. I loved reading this! So true and written so beautifully.
    Brenda

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  20. So funny! We girls thinking one thing...those guys with entirely different ideas. Men!

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  21. A very sweet memory. I love just about every single work Roger Williams has ever written.

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  22. I love your story of being at the carnival in the rain, I could just imagine the whole thing--so sweet, and you're such a good writer. I hope you'll share more stories. Happy Valentine's day Char--hope that it's impractical & romantic!

    xo Mary Jo

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  23. very romantic..so valentines day..perfect...loved it....

    char...i see the "Blog It Forward" on your sidebar...( Catherine..who wrote Pay It Forward...she and I use to ride our horses together when I lived in Cambria..just a side note) anyway..I clicked it and saw you on there..but don't understand what it is...

    could you help me, my friend

    and looking forward to see you at The Farmhouse Valentines Party :-)

    sending love,
    kary

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  24. blog it forward is a circle of bloggers together who will blog on a certain day what inspires them and will direct their readers to others in the circle. it's a way for other bloggers to be inspired and to find new blogs too.

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  25. Swooooon. Best love in the rain story, EVER! Even if he did end up being a jerk later, lol.

    You had me picturing the whole night...now I want to go to a carnival w/ my love. Only if it's raining though.

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  26. i would still take the walking in the rain any day, even knowing how it later turned out.

    beautiful!

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i feel as if each comment was between us as we sat and sipped something warm....i love to hear what you're thinking.