Something I’ve never understood, that seems to happen every time it rains, is the way people automatically say something like “oh good, we need the rain”. I understand that rain obviously has many benefits for everyone and also that many people just find it aesthetically pleasing; the weird thing is how consistent and predictable the observation is – along with even the exact words it’s expressed in, or close enough. I’ve lived in cities my whole life but it’s as if everyone I know secretly keeps an anxious eye on local soil moisture levels, and is silently praying all the time for rain…???
(Because for several reasons I have never driven a car, and become agitated if I can’t walk several miles even on days I don’t have anywhere to be, rain outside means I will feel either stir-crazy or, e.g. when I have to go to work and despite having an umbrella, cold and damp from the knees down, which I do not enjoy.)
If they’re a farmer or gardener, or really close to someone who is, they probably have been anxiously watching local moisture levels if it’s been a long time since it’s last rained. I’ve seen many farmers anxiously chatting with each other about the weather and the implications it has for their crops.
