Barry Manilow - I Made It Through the Rain (G.W. Kenny, D. Shepperd) ~ Erwin Lazaro 060

Sometimes, Murphy and his law have a way of making life
difficult to manage.  A personal rain cloud follows overhead and it seems like nothing can be done about that ominous feeling when life is unbearable.  Whether it’s a singular event, or a string of events, the pressure can be relentless, making even the strongest defense almost feel futile.  Breaking down also seems natural.  Maybe, going back to bed is the best option and hoping to start the day over might help.  Getting a “do over” would be good.  How about throwing up a white flag?

Unfortunately, adversity has a way of rearing its ugly head more
often than we’d care to admit.  Overcoming a huge obstacle with sheer grace can be easily followed by failing to overcome the smallest obstacle possible; falling flat on the face and not really feeling like getting back up.  But, that’s the point now, isn’t it?  The “getting back up” part is the most important part of that whole “O woe is me” process.  Somehow, those multiple chinks in the armor can actually make that same armor stronger and a little thicker too.

That’s called experience, right?  Experience is knowledge because it actually happened.  That experience becomes a fact.  But, knowledge, in of itself, has no value unless put to good use.  That’s when knowledge becomes wisdom.  Now, we’re getting somewhere!  Wisdom is the lesson learned, allowing for progress!!  Yes!!!  Not that anyone looks for adversity in order to become wise, but surely, wisdom is sought in the face of adversity.  And, some people appear to have the ability to overcome adversity with little or no effort.  Well, those feats can appear effortless, but I have a feeling that it’s an entirely different matter inside.  While the outside may not show any discord, the inside has turned over and over a few hundred times.  In other words, the smile on the outside is a disguise for the struggles within.  Even though wisdom may prevail, wisdom definitely does not prevent the suffering that comes along with any struggle.

Sometimes, a little recognition is a good thing and that recognition goes a long way.  Recognition means that validation and appreciation become spiritual medals, awards that feel more real than any metal symbol.  With validation and appreciation, wisdom becomes that much more rewarding and meaningful.  It makes any future challenges a little more tolerable to face.  Recognition gives strength.  Recognition also gives the spirit a good reason to smile.  =)

I bet that we can all think of people within our own lives that
fit the bill; those people around us who smile in the face of adversity.  They may seem like wallflowers, standing in the background, when in fact, they’re actually fighting for that smile and doing a darn good job of it too! It’s one thing to fight the good fight and then let everybody know about it.  It’s pure strength when fighting the good fight from the background, never seeking recognition, never asking for recognition, and yet, always motivated to make the best choices possible; personal motivations driven by sheer will power, and love.

I immediately think of my own family and my own personal
heroes.  They make me smile.  They give me strength.  I admire all of them for being exactly who they are.  I can publically recognize many family members for many reasons, but I will only mention two people, in particular, especially because they both recently celebrated birthdays.  I want to publically recognize two heroes within my own family for being exactly who they are.  Please know that your families do recognize all that you do for our families.  Thank you, Auntie Marissa.  Thank you, Auntie Emma.  You both deserve all of the recognition for giving so much of yourselves in quiet ways that may seem unnoticed, but, in reality, and please forgive the cliché, your actions speak so much louder than any words could ever express!!!!!!!

How can I choose music from anyone else other than Barry Manilow to express our family’s appreciation for all of your love, not for just your immediate family, but for everyone you love?  “I Made It Through the Rain” is a small gesture of appreciation to let the both of you both know that “we love you too”!!!

From Wikipedia:
Barry is the self-titled album released by singer and songwriter Barry Manilow in 1980. The album reached Platinum status. The tracks were recorded at Evergreen Recording Studios in Burbank, California.  Manilow co-wrote with Maurice White, of Earth, Wind & Fire, the album track “Only In Chicago”.

The album scored one top ten pop hit, "I Made It Through The
Rain", which reached number ten, in late 1980.  This album was released at a time when Barry's success was having its greatest impact overseas, particularly in England.  His music was starting to be pushed almost entirely to adult contemporary music radio formats, known back then as easy listening.  Although "I Made It Through the Rain" was his only Top-10 on the Hot 100 from this album, he managed to reach the Top-10 on the Adult-Contemporary lists with "Lonely Together" and the bouncy up-tempo "Bermuda Triangle" was a Top-20 hit in England in mid 1981.