Even my shadow is smiling today 😉

I took the afternoon off, not for any particular reason, just felt like I needed to be good to myself. As I walked out of the company building, the sunlight hit the steps just right, stretching my shadow long. I looked down and noticed my shadow had a slight smile to its curve – probably because I was standing so relaxed, even my shadow softened along with me. First, I went to that old bookstore in the alley. The owner was dozing at the counter, and I was the only one in the shop. I walked slowly past each bookshelf, my fingertips brushing against the spines of the books, dust motes dancing in the light. I finally picked out a thin collection of essays, its cover a pale blue, like a sky washed by water. When I went to pay, the owner woke up, rubbed his eyes, and said, "This one's good. I read it when I was young." "And now?" "I can't read it anymore, but it still makes me happy to see someone buy it." I put the book in my bag, feeling like I had taken a small piece of his youth with me. Then I wandered over to a nearby park. A little girl was sitting on a bench, blowing bubbles. The bubbles were colorful in the sunlight, floating and then popping. She didn't seem sad at all and continued to blow another one. A bubble floated towards me, and I reached out and popped it. With a 'pop,' a fine spray of water splashed on my face, cool and refreshing. The little girl looked up at me and smiled. I smiled back. Then I bought a hot cocoa and drank it on a bench at the other end of the park. The cocoa was rich, with settled chocolate at the bottom of the last sip, sweet and thick, much like my mood this afternoon. On the way home, the sunset stretched my shadow even longer.