Dear Universe,

If I were a superhero, rain would be my kryptonite.  It might be a few other things too, but mostly it would be rain.

Simply put, rain drains me.  It forces—yes, forces! me to stay in bed, under lots of covers, sleeping, reading or watching television, basically being completely unproductive until the sun returns.

Days like that can be nice—a break from the crazy pace, a reset of sorts.  Except days like that never seem to fall on days when I can luxuriate in laziness.  More often than not, they arrive on days when I need energy most.

Like Tuesday, for example.  I hoped to wake up refreshed and energized, ready to start the semester, ready to meet and greet my new students, ready to put my best self forward and all that.

So of course that meant one thing.  I woke up feeling exhausted, rain pelting my window, not a streak of sun poking through the curtains enticing me out of bed.  Instead of birds chirping all I could hear was water dumping down, steady, never ending.  The remnants of Hurricane Isaac had made its way to the East Coast.

I threw the covers back reluctantly, my head pounding to the same beat of the rain, made lots of coffee and started my day.  But it was no use.  I couldn’t shake my stupor.

I hate the hold rain has on me.

So on I trudged through my day—rained out and fogged out.  Wednesday was more of the same—monsoon type rain, thunder clapping, lightning flashing, me perpetually yawning, body aching.

That’s when I realized rain is my kryptonite and it’s stronger than caffeine, stronger than 8 hours of sleep, stronger than any power I have—which made me wish I was I had some sort of super power…

If I could be a superhero I’d be Wonder Woman. (When I was eight I even dressed up as her for Halloween in one of those all plastic costumes with the mask you can’t breathe or see out of.)

She’s tough, confident, smart, can hang with the boys and she’s gorgeous.  She’s got style and always makes sure that no matter the crisis, her hair is in place, lipstick on; I admire that.  I’m not really sure what her superpower is though, so I’d make a request from the superhero-gods.

I want to be able to make it stop raining when need be.  Of course I know we need rain so I wouldn’t abuse my power.  (And let’s be honest, I’m pretty sure Wonder Woman doesn’t own a poncho so I think she’d be okay with this.)

I know this is all just a fantasy, a far-fetched one at that.  But rain also causes me to daydream and think of things I normally wouldn’t.

One good thing about days of rain is that it makes me appreciate sunny days that much more.  Like today.

I feel energized and ready to get out and get moving.  Thank you.
With Gratitude,

A