We have had a lot of rain this year. I mean a lot. The internet was abuzz last week with a report that we have had just three mild days of weather in the last five months. I don’t know if that’s true, but it sure feels like it is.

Of course, it’s not just the rain that is dampening our spirits. The rain somehow feels like it is in cahoots with our national political angst. Between the two, it sometimes feels like there isn’t a lot of possibility or joy in the world around us. Layer on the fact that every person I know has been sick in the last month, and even the sturdiest of us is feeling the pain of managing through our long, dark winter.

I have always loved the rain. I generally don’t believe in umbrellas, and I love the sound of the rain on the roof. But even I find myself challenged these days in my efforts to stay positive in the face of all of the rain.

Here are a few things that help me survive the Unremitting Rainy Season:

Remembering. I used to run a Camp Fire group here on the island. Those girls are all in college now, but rain will always remind me of things like ironing little shapes out of plastic beads, making friendship bracelets and doing skits at Camp Sealth. The rain was just part of the experience. So when I hear rain now and when I feel frustrated by all the gloom, I turn to memory and think of the times I have loved the rain. It makes me smile (and forgive the bad drivers a little more readily).

Getting perspective. I mean, it’s just rain. We don’t have tornadoes, floods, hurricanes, severe drought or ice storms. We are actually pretty blessed on the weather side of things. And you can go even deeper and think of those who do without, those who are living in homelessness. It gives a little perspective to remember at least your family has shelter.

Cutting slack. I have noticed grumpiness skyrockets when we have a long rainy period. People just get snappy. Cars honk more in traffic. People cut you off more. Colleagues are more clipped. For someone like myself, who has always gone through life picking up on each and every feeling in the room, this is a land mine of emotions. Let’s not even discuss the ferry lines, which have become one angry mass of people on Fauntleroy every evening. I am trying to be more forgiving of everyone.

Finding ways to cheer others. I have started a game of doing anonymous acts of kindness for others. Once I paid for the person behind me in the Fauntleroy line. Last week I bought coffee for an older couple I saw at Starbucks. Say nice things on Facebook when you can. Share compliments with others. Let rage go when politics erupt. I think we can all do little gestures for the strangers around us and hope it spreads. The warmth will help us survive the winter.

Taking deep breaths. This one is for you parents out there. When your kids are small, rain can be tough. My kids are now almost grown: 21, 19 and 16. When they were toddlers, the rain could be horrible for me. There is a famous family video. All three kids had chicken pox. They were maybe 6, 4 and 1. They were running in circles around the room, naked, covered in calamine lotion, all yelling and laughing. I was taping it. I said, “Hey, kids, let’s check what time it is so when we know when Daddy is getting home! Wow! It’s only 4 o’clock!” Then I muttered to the camera, “Mommy of the future, today was a really long day.” Nothing like a long day in the house with young kids. Nevertheless, not to be cliché, but please know this: it goes all too quickly.

It is a tough challenge, soldiering through this long and rainy season. But we do have shelter. We have each other. We have a beautiful island that grows even more verdant with rain. And there are so many worse things we could face, aren’t there?

If all else fails, remember this line from a musical I performed in on Vashon a decade or so ago:

The sun will come out … tomorrow.

— Lauri Hennessey is the vice president for communications &public affairs at the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle and a former Beachcomber columnist with three (almost grown) kids.