Listening to the World: The Hidden Message of ‘What’s the Weather Like’?
Why on earth is everyone asking me about the weather in London lately? I must admit, I've never been a fan of small talk revolving around the weather; it used to annoy me to no end.
In my social circle, there seem to be two types of people: those who can't resist talking about the weather, and those who never bring it up.
So, imagine my surprise when not one but two people from the second category, the non-weather-talkers, asked me the exact same question within less than a week: "What's the weather like in London?"
The first time it happened, I was taken aback. Not only did this person never inquire about the weather, but I had just spent two weeks in France at the time. It was perplexing, to say the least. As an answer, the first thought that came into my mind was, "Ehh well, how do I know? I have been in France for 2 weeks, and I never check the weather forecast, especially in London, as you have the 4 seasons in one day, so what’s the point?" But I just politely replied that I didn't know. The conversation ended just as quickly as it started, leaving me with a sense of bewilderment.
But then, just five days later, a SECOND friend from the non-weather-talking group asked me the exact same question after a lengthy conversation about the changes happening in our lives. I couldn't help but glance out the window (I had returned to London by then) and answer, "It's okay." There was an awkward silence suspended over the line, finally signaling the end of the conversation. I found myself hanging up the phone, feeling even more puzzled than before. "Why on earth does everyone want to know about the weather in London?????? I am not BBC weather channel!"
Curiosity got the better of me. I was in a phase of wanting to improve my listening skills to a wider extent. I had already worked on listening with an open heart to others and my own emotions. Now, I wondered if I could listen to the world and decipher its hidden messages. Farfetched, I know, but hey, who knows what the universe might reveal?
And then it hit me—the question itself: "What's the weather like in London?" It struck me as more than mere coincidence; it felt like a message in disguise, just waiting to be unveiled. Laughing at the thought, I realized there was an emotion at play here that I hadn't yet recognized. Surprise! (Ah, the joys of deepening emotional awareness, the other obsession of mine at the time!) I asked myself, "What are you trying to tell me, surprise?" The answer came quickly: I just became aware of something I was not before.
While I could have stopped there and discarded the quirky thought, it amused me to dig deeper. What if there WAS indeed a hidden message, I would not like to miss it? I ventured to Google for any potential spiritual meanings between weather and emotions. Though I found no direct correlation, two websites did catch my attention. One mentioned how weather forecasts could reflect our inner states, while the other referred to the "inner weather" and emotions.
Oh boy, did this message mean I needed to work more on my emotional connection? Seriously, give me a break here. I thought I had already come a long way in reeducating myself on this front. Half annoyed, I thought: well, maybe there is more.
This being said, while I started to lose myself in some weirder theories, I decided to sleep on it.
The next morning, I revisited a blog post I had drafted a month back, one centered around emotions. It always felt incomplete, missing something, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it. Yet, for the last week, I had focused my intention on finishing it. As I read through the draft, the answer hit me like a bolt of lightning. I personally found it mind-blowing at the time. In the draft, I had listed the primary emotions, but one was actually missing. Guess which one?
Surprise….
I know it sounds a bit farfetched, but at least I finally managed to write a blog post I was stuck upon for a month!
When lost or stuck, listen to the world. It may bring messages to guide you through your next step, like a compass pointing in the right direction.
Have you ever met a stranger telling you a story out of the blue? Or maybe you have a pattern of attracting strangers in the street asking for their direction? What if there was a hidden message?
And now, as a reminder to tune in with my inner weather, whenever someone asks me the question: "What’s the weather like?", I actually ask myself, "How do I feel?"
