Rose: Oh no, it’s raining! I don’t want to stay inside all day. It’s so boring!
Father: Well, Rose, were you glad to have bread and butter for breakfast this morning?
Rose: Of course, Dad! I would be really unhappy if I couldn’t have any.
Father: And do you enjoy seeing the flowers and trees grow in our garden?
Rose: Absolutely! I was actually looking forward to going outside to see them. They’re so beautiful.
Father: How about when you see horses, cows, or sheep drinking water from the brook? Does that upset you?
Rose: Dad, you must think I’m heartless! I would never want the hardworking horses, the lovely cows that give us milk, or the cute lambs to always be thirsty.
Father: Don’t you think they’d die without water to drink?
Rose: Yes, that would be terrible!
Father: So, do you think the flowers and trees could grow without water?
Rose: No, they would wither away from the sun’s heat. We wouldn’t have any beautiful flowers to enjoy or make wreaths for Mom.
Father: Rose, what is our bread made of?
Rose: It’s made of flour, which comes from wheat that is ground in a mill.
Father: That’s right. And rain helps the wheat grow, and water powers the mill to grind it into flour. So, are you still unhappy about the rain?
Rose: I didn’t consider all of that, Dad. Now I’m actually glad to see the rain falling.
Credits
William Holmes McGuffey was a 19th-century American educator best known for compiling the McGuffey Readers, a series of school textbooks that shaped the moral and literary education of millions of American children. "Let It Rain" reflects his characteristic approach of weaving everyday dialogue into quiet lessons about gratitude and observation.
