Sunshine on a rainy day

Something I remember vividly from my pilot's training is that despite the grey winter clouds and persistent rain there is always a blue sky and a bright hopeful sun above. You just have to go and find it!

It's a little phrase I often say to friends, colleagues, sometimes strangers when they're feeling glum. Not meaning to sound like an amateur philosopher my approach is if you can't physically climb above the clouds to find the sunshine then you have to find a way to do it theoretically.

Today I left home in the dark, got caught in the rain dashing for the first train, got cold waiting for a second delayed train and could all so easily have let it get to me.

I listened to the last four intermezzo by Strauss (classical music is my internal sunshine) on my journey then I took this photograph from under my umbrella of the old Opera House in Tunbridge Wells as the sun tried to come out on my walk to the office. The barista in Pret said coffee was on her today thanks to my smile and happy new year wishes. So the internal sunshine does work!

Then at lunchtime while walking in more rain between shops I had my own ray of sunshine in the form of messages from my brother and dad that my darling mum will be home from hospital tomorrow. I'm looking forward to plenty more sunshine and smiles in the coming weeks. I hope you found some sunshine through the rain today too.