Happiness

Happiness was dancing down the street today and it did wonders for my mood.

I had studied all morning long for my literature final this afternoon. On the front porch while putting on my tennis shoes, my mind was full of ideas and fragmented sentences that would potentially be part of my essay, and my stomach was sort of twisted and knotty. I heard a voice on the sidewalk so I looked up from my laces to see a girl singing and skipping--practically waltzing up the street. She briefly looked my way but ignored me, she was too into being merry. Weird, I thought. I put on my coat and walked off my porch and onto the sidewalk. Happy Girl was a few strides away, still as gleeful as she had been when she passed me on the porch. She beat me to the cross walk where I got stuck at the light. I continued to watch her as she floated away.

A little lighted man started glowing which prompted me to start walking across the street. There she was ahead of me petting and serinading a dog which had come out to greet her. The dog looked like he was in heaven and when heaven became to rich he walked back to his owners who were in the door way of their apartment grinning at Happy Girl. She twirled around with her arms outstretched and continued tap dancing towards campus. My curiosity was peaked now. Why was this girl so flamboyantly happy? Still I followed.

The sidewalks were peppered with students walking to and from school. Each with their head down looking cold and distant. I watched though, as Happy girl directed her charm like a Care Bear stair at each one. Their faces immediately brightened when she sung songs of greetings. An old woman walking her dog on the other side of the street stopped and turned completely around to watch as Happy girl fluttered through the sunshine. I looked at the old woman and she looked at me and her dog looked at both of us. I pointed to the girl and threw up my hands to say, what is up with this girl? The old woman understood my body language and mouthed a word: "happiness". We both smiled in agreement. Every person this girl passed went from sad to glad, including a cable repair man who actually started laughing. I was gaining on her because one of my strides equaled 5 of her whimsical twirls. Was this girl on acid? Had she just gotten laid? Was she mentally disturbed? My curiosity was climaxing.

"Hey," I called, "why are you so happy?"

she spun in my direction and her sandal flew off. She snorted and laughed and looked me in the eye.

"it is a beautiful day!"

I couldn't believe my ears... She was this happy because the sun was shining? No drugs or cultish mind control? I liked her immediately. Her name was Brigid. We walked the rest of the way up to campus talking about the holidays, finals, and for some odd reason the Dali Lama. Other then perhaps an overdose of granola this chick seemed completely sane.

When we got up on campus everyone knew Bridgid. I heard Hellos from all around. This girl had the best energy I have ever seen.

"You have a lot of friends," I said

"I am a lucky girl," she said back. She really meant it.

We were headed in different directions so I told her it wasn't everyday I see someone so happy walking down the street. I thanked her for brightening my day and headed off to take my exam. She yelled, "Good luck!" and that was my encounter with Brigid.

It is absolutely amazing what a good attitude can do! Thanks Brigid. I wonder if you were an angel.