Yes, friends, it is raining in Los Angeles. The sky is gray, the ground is wet, and the wind is whipping umbrellas and scarves to-and-fro. But while you may feel unhappy that your backpack is drenched and your hair matted, please take a moment to be grateful. Be grateful that you have shelter and a place to call home. Be grateful that you have boots for your feet, mittens for your hands, hats for your head, and a scarf for your neck. Be grateful that you are not freezing. No, even if you are cold, you are not freezing to death.

Remember the resilience of others in situations far more difficult than the one in which you find yourself. Today, at roughly 6:00 am, a 6.1 magnitude aftershock ripped through the little village of Gressier, Haiti, just a week after a 7.0 earthquake destroyed much of the country. New York Times writers Ray Rivera and Marc Lacey quote a Haitian woman as saying: “I thought this time, my good God, it was the end of the world. I screamed and screamed. Then I realized it was over. I was still alive. Hallelujah.” This is a woman who has reason to be miserable, but who is choosing to give thanks for life. In far less difficult situations, so can we. 

Tuck your shirts in and wear your parkas. Don’t forget your umbrellas. Wear ski goggles if you feel the need. But please don’t complain about the rain. Instead, once you are all bundled up in your winter fancy, jump into a puddle. Splash around, dance, laugh. Be happy. Put your hands out and rejoice in your luck, for you are in L.A., and anything is possible. The rain will stop soon.