We may not be able to build snowmen together, but there’s something kind of glorious about having a family in the wet Hawaii winter.

It’s cuddle weather, time to huddle together under an umbrella, snuggle together in front of a movie or just peer out of the window together planning what we’re going to do when there’s a break in the rain.

Okay, it’s not really that romantic, but there’s something cozy about turning on the heater instead of the air-conditioner and there’s nothing like a thick comforter to take the edge off after a cold day.

The good thing about rain is that it gives the family a common enemy. It may not magically wash away sibling rivalry or the urge to rebel, but a heavy downpour can drown out the sound of some of the pettiest squabbles and perfectly timed flash of lightning can take the sting out of an insult. It’s no fun poking fun at someone who’s too busy waiting for the thunder to pay attention.

I’m never going to pretend that I enjoy driving in the rain, but I have to admit that I don’t always mind it.

Sometimes it just buys a little silence as everyone pools their navigational skills to make it out of one of those harrowing storms that defeat the fastest windshield wiper setting.

Other times, it provides entertainment as my son looks for flash floods and waterfalls while my daughter urges me to drive through puddles.

In the mornings, rain just creates a sense of camaraderie as my son and I helplessly watch traffic back up even more than usual, giving us the false impression that no one but the two of us can appreciate how important it is to get to school on time. We pass the time by predicting whether the rain will end up closing the Pali, wondering whether the traffic is slow because of an accident or people’s general inability to drive when it’s raining and debating whether it would be faster to take H-3 even though it’s miles out of our way.

I don’t know why, but listening to an 11-year-old’s perspective on traffic issues never fails to amuse me.

Normally, a wet commute can be a lousy way to start the day, but often that extra layer of intensity just means extra satisfaction when we’re finally able to get out of the car. On mornings when we battle the rain and win, I usually don’t even mind getting wet on my way in the door because it feels like I’ve actually accomplished something just by arriving on time.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, January 30th, 2008 at 1:22 am and is filed under Family Tree. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.