Rain, rain, and more rain. I shook my head after reviewing the weather report. It was going to rain hard the entire weekend. Usually, I would not care, but this weekend was different. It was Memorial Day weekend in 2018. Kim and I were getting ready to take our first trip together and the weather was going to suck – practically flood conditions the entire weekend.
The weather is beyond our control
I thought about calling Kim and canceling the trip. Why fly all the way down to Miami, Florida for hurricane-like weather. We could easily stay at home instead. But, we were both excited to go. Neither one of us had spent time in Miami before. Besides we cannot control the weather. We decided to go anyway. Who knows – perhaps the sun would shine.
Why I wrote this billboard
I love traveling. It is truly one of my passions. I enjoy seeing the sites, sampling new foods, and relaxing in beautiful locations. One thing that is always a roll of the dice when I travel is the weather. I wrote this billboard as a reminder that I should never worry about the weather, much less let it ruin any day. Instead, make the most of each day, no matter the weather.
We chose to have fun anyway
As predicted, the weather in Miami was awful. It rained hard and was windy almost the entire weekend. We were able to spend a little time on South Beach, but only to stroll around and get our feet wet. The good news was that Miami was uncharacteristically empty which made it easy for us. We decided to make the most of the situation and have fun anyway.
The weather really didn’t matter
We ate meals at several good restaurants. A friend of mine recommended Sunday morning brunch at Yardbirds. It was excellent. We hung out at coffee shops, did a little shopping and even managed to find a few good breweries. One afternoon, we spent several hours at a brewery that specialized in Belgian beers, Abbey Brewing Company. Outstanding surprise.
What mattered was that we were together
Spending time together was the main point of the trip. We did plenty of that and it was wonderful. Kim and I were able to get to know each other without any distractions around us. No work, no kids, no stress. Just the two of us sitting side by side. We usually play cards, enjoy a drink, eat some snacks, and talk. Sometimes I smoke a cigar. We discuss everything and nothing at times. We have gone on many trips since this one, and they all have been great.
How I incorporated this billboard into my life
I don’t check the weather report anymore before traveling. The fact is that I don’t really care. I am going to have an awesome time no matter what the weather is. Sometimes it is sunny skies like last year during our trips to Holland and Jamaica. No rain at all. While other trips included plenty of liquid sunshine like when we went to Dublin and London. Both Irish and English weather stink. Probably explains why there are so many pubs.
What about you?
Are you worried about the weather? Are you letting circumstances dictate the quality of your experiences? Don’t fall into that trap. Instead, go out and have a great time, no matter what the weather brings.
Don’t worry about the rain. The perfect day does not exist. You must create it
Dad