Article March 26, 2012 Issue

Singin' in the rain

Hal Shrewsbury

I’m laughing at clouds,
So dark up above,
The sun’s in my heart
And I’m ready for love. 

Let the stormy clouds chase,
Everyone from the place,
Come on with the rain,
I’ve a smile on my face.
(Arthur Freed, Singin’ in the Rain) 

To anyone who has seen the movie classic Singin’ in the Rain, the image of Gene Kelly splashing through a downpour twirling his umbrella will be forever etched in memory. The song and the dancing are metaphors for rejoicing in adversity. I found myself in a “rainstorm” some 20 years ago—except I wasn’t singing or dancing. I was suffering from a double hernia for which I underwent two operations.