Let it Rain
MUSIC Information:
- Before the Sun Goes Down
- G Major / E minor
- 36 Measures
- Cello and Piano
- 3:01 min
- 3 Pages
“For after all, the best thing one can do when it is raining is let it rain.” ― Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
SORROW AND HAPPINESS
I have experienced sorrow and happiness. Fortunately, sorrow is not a permanent arrangement. My grandmother used to say, “There is no pain that lasts a hundred years,” which is reassuring. Happiness, on the other hand, has the bad habit of showing up and then moving on as fast as it came, leaving me a step behind.
Life expectancy of most mortals in reasonable conditions falls well short of a hundred years, then it seems unlikely that I will witness either sorrow or happiness outlasting that span. Both will come and go within my allotted time, a time span that feels suspiciously like something assigned on a form I do not remember signing.
This leaves me with the responsibility to maintain a balance I can live with while navigating life’s architecture, tolerating one as it comes and embracing the other whenever it shows up. In doing so, I give myself the opportunity to stop avoiding sorrow at all cost and chasing happiness by any means.
SIMPLE THINGS
The way I see the world around me, it is in constant change, and my experiences largely determine where my attention drifts. My perspective on the world, along with my priorities, has been adjusting with age. As a result, I now tend to do things more consciously and, just as importantly, in a much simpler way.
Lately, my most joyous occasions are built around uncomplicated activities. I would rather have coffee with a friend than a fancy dinner at a restaurant, or take a walk to the beach instead of booking a trip to an exotic destination.
I took the time to look at where my life stands at the moment and wrote a short list of simple things—small guilty pleasures—that make it feel fuller and more meaningful. As a result, I am happier, which still surprises me, given how unremarkable the list actually is.
The list is presented as follow:
Bold coffee
Reading a good biography
Holding hands with William
Eating frozen yogurt with lots of rainbow sprinkles
Discover new music to play on the piano
Take Vortex for a walk
Watch Major masticate his treats
Watch comedians on YouTube
Listening to Leo Moracchioli's covers
Tell a joke
DOCTOR'S PRESCRPTION
Until recently, I never imagined that engaging in everyday activities and being genuinely happy because of them could be doable. Dear me. In only a few years, I figure I’ll be the happiest man on the planet if I simply make it to the bathroom on time. Being realistic, and allowing myself to laugh about it, might very well be the medicine the doctor just prescribed.
The thing is, if I want to make it past seventy, I need to enjoy myself and the people around me. That also means fully enjoying the activities I am capable of right now, in the present, while continuing to actively—and somewhat aggressively—avoid social media.
RAINY DAY
The previous list includes things I look forward to any day, at any time. To make my celebrated inventory, however, there were three things I had to consider, and here they are:
1.- Do not resist or make excuses
2.- Stop wanting to control each and every aspect of life's course
3.- Do not take things that serious
This piece of music, written for cello and piano in G major, represents the joyful moments in my daily life, moments I cherish. The cello carries something familiar, while the piano keeps it light enough to move forward without rushing. A bright day is always around the corner, but until then, when it rains, I let it. If you happen to be listening to it, think about the parts of life that don't respond to effort, and enjoy what you can nonetheless.