pop up showers vs. monsoon season

I found this little guy while I was in Cincinnati shopping with Beth.
He made me smile on the inside so I bought him.
He is a good reminder to be ready for rain and to face it with a grin.

This morning as I was getting ready for KCU Chapel my mind wandered to yesterday afternoon and my ugly cry. For some reason, maybe because we've had a lot of rain lately, I compared it to a "pop up shower". A weather event no one can predict with accuracy, it just happens.

I did a quick google search for what causes pop up showers.
According to weatherchannel.com:

•    Pop-up thunderstorms in the warmer months are tricky to predict.
•             It's very difficult to provide a yes or no answer about whether or not you'll see these "hit-or-miss" storms at your exact location.
•    As a result, summer thunderstorm forecasts are often broad.

My experience says it is surprisingly easy to apply that information directly to tears.

Pop up tears, especially grief tears, are tricky to predict.
It isn't like early on when it was more like monsoon season and they were just always "there". Then I was ready.I expected them to fall at the mention or even just the thought of Bill, during "big events", at the slightest frustration or provocation or because of nothing at all.

Pop up tears are 'hit or miss" storms. 
It is difficult to provide a yes or no answer about whether or not they will fall. Sometimes I am "prepared" and they don't even hint at falling. Other times they come out of nowhere as misty eyes or a quick burst, several short showers or a steady downpour. 

As a result, pop up tears, thunderstorms if you will, are often broad forecasts. 
In the back of your mind you know they are a threat, and will most certainly will show up sooner or later. It is okay to hope that yours will pop up privately, or, that if yours come while you are in public, (talking to a stranger on the phone, shopping, walking, during a family reunion, a sporting event, a celebration, or anything else "important") they are light and passing, not a full blown, shut down the event storm. But, if it is a full on storm, you may be surprised, but there is no reason to be ashamed. You are not weak. You are not a poor planner. Ignoring or holding back tears does not make them go away forever. They will just pop up again later. The most healthy thing you can do is acknowledge them. Remember, this storm will pass. Always have Kleenex stashed somewhere easy to get to and know where your safe shelter is.

One last thing: 

keep looking up,

and never, ever give up looking for a rainbow.