Everyone has heard of elemental empathy. We all learn about it, usually on that Monday morning of English class where we sit there and try to coerce our brains into analyzing why the thunderstorm is suddenly going to mean that Jane Eyre’s love story with Mr Rochester is about to reach its finale.
I experienced something quite different however. Sure, elemental empathy was defiantly there, it was raining, the clouds were grey, there were scarce amounts of people dotted randomly along the streets. Most of the stores were shut and the meager few that were open for business were running slow.
As I walked down the street, I initially felt so gloomy (elemental empathy kicking in), I wanted to get back home as soon as possible after running the errands I had. I walked past a few stores, and then passed a Starbucks, which got me fantasizing about a tall white chocolate frappucino. And then I realized that this weather was pefect for a coffee that exquisite. I walked out of Starbucks, my fantasy in hand, and as I sipped it, suddenly the weather seemed different. It was the same, but the sentiment now stirring within me was one of excitement and ironically warmth, although that could have been the effect of my delectable drink.
Nonetheless, with this emotion inside, I kept walking, this time, observing all that was around me. Then like a light bulb going off in my head it dawned upon me. This definitely could not be like the kind of elemental empathy motifs we study about. There, rain always symbolizes sorrow, pain, foreshadows something grave and negative.
But, here in my rainy paradise I walked at a happy pace, cantering almost like an appaloosa in a field of daisies. As I looked at the trees, I could imagine them happy, their stomata’s fully exposed, thirsting for the rain, and as the raindrops hit the pores in their leaves, them drinking it all in.
My olfactory nerve was abruptly plucked like a guitar string, and with that ‘twang’ came an array of heavenly smells, smells that I am sure were around here before, but were only prominent when seasoned with essence of rain.
I could smell apple and cherry blossoms, there was the scent of faint vanilla and Indian paintbrush flowers and when I took a closer look, these flowers were blooming more than I have ever seen them bloom before.
I imagined their velvety soft petals, with the drops of rain running down their silky exterior and thought about how the smallest, most minute elements can combine into something so resplendent.
Sure there was definitely elemental empathy over here because somehow, somewhere the sun was shining for me.
