The Fourth of July is one of our nation's dearest and most celebrated holidays. Sure, there's that shirking-the-evil-British-overlords thing, but who celebrates that?

This respite from the work week gives us so much more than history. To the tune of a long weekend, the condoned opportunity to get day-drunk in the company of others, and of course, barbecuing and enjoying the sweltering summer heat in as little clothing as possible.

Thanks for screwing it all up, Hurricane Alex.

Because of you, we will all be confined indoors, fighting our nephews for the Wii controllers and warding off seasonal depression with mixed drinks of whatever's in the house. All the while, bemoaning our rainy, gloomy fate, of course.

This is certainly no way to celebrate freedom, is it?

Would it be poppycock to suggest that sometimes, this weather can actually be quite pleasant? And, if we're talking independence, it can be quite freeing as well.

Don't roll your eyes just yet.

The pitter patter of the rain tiptoeing across your rooftop is a soothing break from the standard trappings of daily life. The maniacal pace of the city grind seems to slow to an almost manageable speed. Sure, Houstonians become markedly worse drivers, it's true, but at least there are less of them littering the roads. Perhaps they've all decided to dust off those neglected issues of Time and The Economist and actually catch up with what's going on outside their bubbles.

The rain permits you the freedom to chuck your daily routine to the wind. Forget about your perfectly coiffed hair and your barely there makeup. Leave your designer leather accessories at home. You won't be needing all the frilly details when it rains.

And if we're being perfectly blunt, then we'll tell you that staying indoors when it rains is for the weak.

Before you scoff, have you ever ventured outside during a rainstorm?

If you haven't, you're missing the ark. The raindrops create the most spectacular reflective art, like tiny, glittering diamonds. The air is thick with humidity, yet laced with a thin undercoat of breathability. The woodland creatures big and small are still, following suit with the steady calm of the deluge. It's somewhat magical, as ludicrous as it may sound.

After an extended rainfall, you probably gaze warily out your windows, silently praying that the bayous don't crest. But it's truly amazing that a body of water so stagnant and forgotten as the Buffalo or White Oak Bayous suddenly swells to life after a mere few hours of replenishment. Any aquatic mass that's that passionate about its destination is clearly worth your attention.

Naysayers, don't worry. Your pooh-poohing rises loud and clear above the optimism. You're fine with the rain, as long as you don't have to or don't want to go anywhere. Then it's the biggest inconvenience your world ever did see.

So if you simply cannot take a gloomy day and look on the bright side, at least take a look at your vehicle, and revel in your free car wash.

And go ahead and laugh at those of us splashing in the downpour. We'll pay your sourpuss scowls no mind.