Lessons from the weather

Most people prefer sunshine to rain, but every kind of weather has its charm — we just have to learn to see it, as journalist Otje van der Lelij discovers.

Rain is frequently used as a metaphor for sadness and misery: raining on someone’s parade; it never rains but it pours. Thunder clouds in our language also never predict much good: something bad is like a dark cloud over our heads, or someone has a face like thunder.

Yet rain also has a certain appeal. It’s a cozy kind of weather that invites you to curl up on the couch with a book, without feeling like you have to go out. ‘It’s raining, so I’ll stay inside and cocoon.’ I also actually like thunder. It always looks ominous, the bright flashes across a gray, grumbling covering of cloud, but it also expresses something powerful and awe-inspiring. What can we learn from the weather? Or the seasons? And to what extent are we influenced by the weather?

Tropical island

“Weather has a very strong effect on our mood,” says Dutch meteorologist and climate expert Margot Ribberink. ‘‘Sunlight triggers the production of the happiness hormone serotonin and contributes to a properly functioning biological clock. Those who get out in the sun during the day sleep better at night. People often stay indoors on dark days, but I always say it’s best to go outside, even when it’s cloudy. You’ll benefit from the rays that reach you, even through the clouds. It makes you fitter and it gives your mood a boost.”