Leave your umbrella behind

To brave the winds and the rain, human beings hide behind protective vinyl force fields called, “Umbrellas.” These devices are used to shield people and property from being ruined by water falling from the sky.

More often that not people I know end up using rinky-dink (see: Janky) umbrellas that end up falling apart.

That’s because people don’t reasonably invest in umbrellas. Folks may pay five dollars for an umbrella that rips apart due to the wind. The metal wires that hold it up end up protruding, in fact, even poking people.

Today at Laney College, I witnessed a young woman leaving school fuddling with her umbrella. The wind was battering her, and her umbrella, making it difficult for her to walk forward. The umbrella was also turning inside out.

In the heat of the moment, she throws down her umbrella, abandoning it.

I commented on her actions, and she responds, “It ain’t worth it.”



I thought about it later as I walked back to campus to hear Ericka Huggins speak. The wind blew against my umbrella, blocking me from reaching my destination. The rain wasn't pouring to hard. I put down my umbrella.

I became a lot more aerodynamic.

Sometimes, we think we are protecting ourselves. We use all sorts of artificial barriers (umbrellas) to protect ourselves from the elements. In the end, we end up hindering our own progress.

These umbrellas make us more vulnerable to the winds. Like sails, we float in the direction with our umbrellas as enablers.

And more often than not, the umbrellas get ripped apart and poke their owners.

Instead, we must abandon these cheap umbrellas that don’t protect us. Let the rain hit your face. Feel the wind in your hair.

Leave your umbrella behind. Sometimes, it’ll make it easier to reach your destination.

Update: Per the request of Dan Figueroa, I've included photos above, as well as a slideshow below of people with umbrellas at Laney College.



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