At first, I heard it thrumming on the roof. Then I took a look out the window of my classroom, and as I had predicted, it was raining. I knew it because of the iconic scent it makes every time it rains. Interestingly, there is a name to it, ‘Petrichor’ is what it is called. It is the smell that the chemicals in the ground gives off when it rains. And weirdly enough, I find it to be very pleasant. Hearing the white noise in combination with the earthly scent, my mind began to drift
Water gets lift of slowly from the earth from water bodies such as the sea, rivers and lakes, thanks to evaporation. They hang around in the sky for a bit, maybe relaxing and telling each other which area they are from. After a while they decide to come back down again, but this time fiercely all at once. They fill back lakes and river, they give plants and animals the element of life. Humans make a heck of uses from water apart from just drinking it. They use it for cleaning, for farming, for cooking and cooling. Not to mention most machinery and technologies we are using today use water. It’s strange how just 3 atoms arranged together, became one of the most vital molecule for our survival. Fortunately, we have abundant of it, we are talking 1.386 billion km³ of water we have on and in the earth.
It is rainy season in Cambodia now, perhaps yesterday was the start of it. Good news for the farmers as they still relies heavily on nature to irrigate their farm. Good news and bad news for us people in the city. When it rains, the city’s streets and boulevards would be more effective if they are filled with boats rather than cars.
Fortunately, many bigger drainage system are currently being installed. So traveling by an inflatable raft won’t be a feature in Cambodia anymore, which actually look fun!
That is what rain does to the city, but let’s look at what it does to us.
Many people would have different feelings associated when it rains. Some would feel gloomy and depressed, while the others feels relaxed and serenity. I am the latter. According to a study, nearly 9 percent of people fall in the “rain hater” category ,Klimstra et al. (2011). What you feel during the rain might tell you what you experienced during childhood.
In psychology it is called conditioned emotion. It is when an emotion is “condition” to associate itself to the 5 sense of the human body. It could be a smell, an image or sound. Noticed how you salivate every time you smell something good? Emotions work like that as well. In our case, what you usually feel during your childhood when it rains, your mind will remember this and you will feel it again every time it rain.
For some people, it might remind them about when they are running and splashing around in the rain. The joy and freedom they had, the friends they played with.
Some made small paper boat to watch it float seemlessly along the floaded road side. Only to later found out that it is not water proof and became soft which then sink to the bottom of the small miniture river.
Some play tags with their neighbors, while being very catious not to end up falling into any random uncovered sewage. Running around in the neighborhood chasing your friends in the rain. I already feel the happiness just writing the sentence above.
On the other end of the spectrum, there are people who wish it would never rain at all. They feel angrier or sadder than normal day when the sky pours. It might be a sign of an unfortunate childhood. Typically, when they are force to watch their friends playing outside from their house by an overly protective parents. Or a truamatic event happened to them during a rainy day.
Nonetheless, which side of the fence you are on, the clouds will turn grey and it will rain, just like Bruno Mars’ eyes. If you like it, be glad and enjoy the rain. If you hate the rain worst then you hate your exes, it acts as a reminder that your life is better then yesterday.
Study:
Klimstra, Theo A.; Frijns, Tom; Keijsers, Loes; Denissen, Jaap J. A.; Raaijmakers, Quinten A. W.; van Aken, Marcel A. G.; Koot, Hans M.; van Lier, Pol A. C.; Meeus, Wim H. J.; (2011). Come rain or come shine: Individual differences in how weather affects mood. Emotion, 11, 1495-1.
Wow that is surprising that it is only 9% that fall in the rain haters. Here in Canada it is our summer just started on June 21 and it has done nothing but rain. We have a very short summer here so enjoying the sun is short lived, and you are right it absolutely does affect the mood of people. They are just down right grumpy here because of the rain. Thanks for sharing good article.
I am surprised as well with that number, as a great number of my friends hate rain. We only got 2 seasons here, summer and rainy season. Super hot and then cold. Great that you enjoy the article.
I did not know it called 'Petrichor' I am not a rain hater, i love rain. life is good.
Nature is amazing!
Great post. I love the smell of petrichor (which is just as well, given that I live in rainy Ireland.)
ReSteeming.
Glad that you enjoyed it. Thanks
Needs citations.