Maddy Leigh

I’m sitting at a cafe right now, looking out the window. It’s one of those moments where my anxiety is high, my heart is racing, but then I just take a deep breath.

I am from Eau Claire Wisconsin, and if you have been in the downtown area here, you know there are statues everywhere. I look up from my computer being so incredibly frustrated, and outside the coffee shop is a mother and son crossing the street towards me. The son has that toddler run-walk and has the BIGGEST smile as he’s headed towards the “High Five” Statue- a statue of a Bear giving a high five. He then is so distracted by this exciting bear that he trips over the curb…. but it didn’t matter he was still so excited about this statue! The mom is already at the end of the statue and this kid is smiling as if his life has been made looking at this bear. He signals he wants to give the bear a high-five, and the mom picks him up to do so.

Gosh, I could hear the giggles in my head. It was as if that moment made his little life complete Even the mom was grinning from ear to ear!

When did we lose this? Why don’t I laugh at the bear when I walk past it. I mean I will admit, I do high five it a lot. (If you really know me, you shouldn’t be surprised that I do this?) Yet, I don’t get the level of joy he does for sure. I wish I did.

We were happier back then. Or at least, it felt easier to be happier.

I guess now we just have to work through the rough patches to experience something far greater? That’s up to us to decide.