“I think I just met the happiest person in the world!”

But let me start at the beginning.

Do you know when a day just starts on the wrong foot? Every small detail points toward the negative leading the way, at least for the day. You snooze your alarm more than three times, the sun is awake but hidden behind droopy grey clouds, your body feels like a substance so heavy even lifting your eyelids - let alone the comforter from your body - seems to take the longest time of your life. These days are the hardest; they test your patience the most. There is one part of my routine that motivates me, even on days such as these.

The loud yet calming pitter-patter of raindrops pulled my attention away from the inside of my eyelids. I pulled a sign from the deepest part of my hibernating soul, then I reluctantly rolled to the side and pushed myself up so I could compete the one traditional morning custom: pushing the curtain aside to peruse the outside world. This is always the highlight of any day because I got to see the world without the world seeing me. The window closest to my bed has the best view, but an even better perspective. It was an interesting composite of people behind those sheer brown curtains. It made me excited to pull back those curtains every morning. Even empty streets told an interesting story.

My eyes lethargically moved back and forth watching the world move at a pace similar to the melancholy day. Obviously! People awake at this time have a purpose, even if their stride says otherwise. As my eyes followed the slow gait of an unknown neighbors commute I heard the sounds of splashing from the opposite direction. My eyes and ears followed the sound and saw the most peculiar sight: a young female wearing a long yellow raincoat and vibrant red rain boots frolicking through the sunken puddles on the sidewalk. When life seemed so muted, so one-toned and slow, she moved at a pace that quickened my heart rate and opened my eyes to what truly deserved my focus.

Her movements weren't planned, yet deliverate and full of purpose. It seemed like she wanted to become one with the rain and she wanted to do it with a smile on her face. Every kick and stomp created a wave of water that surrounded her like a reflective fourth wall meant for me to view through, and only she could break that wall. It was at this moment I smiled for the first time today and said,

"I think I just met the happiest person in the world!"

She started to move out of my field of vision and I knew it was time for me to get up. It is time to start the day.